Undying
by Insaniiity
Summary: Revisiting Forks, Washington with a twist - the roles are reversed. Bella Cullen is the mysterious beauty; Edward Masen is the dazzling newcomer. Edward's perspective. Rated T for violence.
1. Prologue

**My first fanfic, be kind. :3 **

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, they belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

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_Undying_

Prologue

I always saw myself as a soldier, but it never occurred to me that my world would change so much, so fast.

Yet here I am, facing my death. Not for my country, not for some noble cause, but for _her_.

I know that she'll hate me for this, but maybe it's better this way. It's so selfish of me to think that she could ever really be mine.

I looked into the blood red eyes of the man who was to take my life—and yet I felt no fear; only acceptance.

My prosecutor walked slowly towards me, his words echoing my thoughts in clear preciseness.

"Well, Edward," he said calmly. "Shall we begin?"

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**A/N: Sorry for the shortness, from now on, chapters will be moderate-long.**

**Please review, I would love to know how I can improve my writing abilities.**


	2. Chapter 1: If Looks could Kill

Chapter 1: If Looks could Kill

I don't know why I let her convince me to move. Maybe it's because I know how much she wanted to—I've always had a way of knowing what people were thinking; sort of like a sixth sense.

I looked over at my mother, meeting her emerald eyes. She smiled a nervous smile at me, pushing her bronze hair behind her ears.

I looked into the rear-view mirror as I drove us to our new home in Forks, Washington. My own deep green eyes looked back at me, reflecting the concern I thought I was able to hide well. Obviously not.

I parked my new silver Volvo in the driveway of our… home. I quickly got out of the car and walked around to let my mother out.

"Always the gentleman," she said, smiling at me. "I'll unpack for us," She said suddenly, then continued, "you should make it to your new school just in time."

She handed me a map, and set off to work. The moving truck beat us here, so she had plenty of things to do; which left me the Volvo.

I got to school and walked into the office. It was brightly lit inside, and very warm. The office was also small; with a little waiting area made up of folding chairs, commercial carpet, a little clock ticking loudly, and a wall cluttered with papers. There were plants everywhere. Wow, it was really green in this town. One of the three desks behind the counter was manned by a large woman with red hair and glasses. She was wearing a plain purple t-shirt; which made me look down at my torn jeans, silver-patterned white shirt, and black hoodie. I immediately felt overdressed.

The woman spoke without looking up at me. "How can I help you?"

"I'm Edward Masen." I said; which caused her to look at me. Realization then recognition hit her features.

She quickly handed me a map and my schedule, and sent me off to class. My morning classes were Trigonometry, English, Gym, and Government. After lunch I had Biology and Spanish.

My morning was definitely routine; I said hi, sat down, and learned. A few people were brave enough to introduce themselves to me, but mostly they just stared. I stared back and anyone who looked at me for too long. The boys looked away, and the girls blushed. I had no doubts that I wasn't quite what they were used to—those were the thoughts that were barraging me, anyways.

Lunchtime, however, was a whole other story. I walked into the cafeteria with a group of kids—which, thanks to Mike Newton's invite, accepted me. It didn't surprise me much that the room quieted when I entered. I seemed to be on everyone's mind today.

There were four minds, however, that were indifferent to me. They were more edgy than the others—sharper, painful even. I looked up to see the group I was mentally thanking, and was instantly confused. Did I count wrong? There were _five_ people sitting at the table. Why could I only feel four minds?

"Yo, Masen, what are you staring at?" Mike asked. I glared at his blonde spikes for hair, pulling out of my reverie.

"Nothing," I mumbled, almost to myself. Instantly a name came to my mind from Mike's direction: "_Bella Cullen._"

"What was that?" he asked me, but I didn't answer. She looked up at me, almost as if she could hear me whisper her name. Her pale features stood out against her midnight-black eyes, and her face was framed by equally dark hair. The other four meant nothing to me anymore; they were figments of my imagination. All I knew was Bella Cullen as her eyes bore into mine.

Soon she averted her gaze, a smile seeming to play on her lips. I looked down, making sure not to look up again.

I looked briefly at my map to find the building for biology. I took my time, barely making it to class before the bell. I walked into class, meeting my new teacher. I introduced himself, making a mental note of his name—Mr. Banner—and turned to find a seat. I had been hoping to get a seat at the back, but was instantly disappointed when the only empty seat was in the middle of the class, next to—Oh, My, God. It was Bella.

I sat down and looked at her sheepishly. Her back instantly straightened, and she caught my eyes. It was almost as if she was frozen; her dark eyes bore into mine, and it was almost as if she had stopped breathing.

Thankfully, after several awkward moments, Mr. Banner started the biology lesson. Bella sat as far from me as the table permitted. Even then she leaned away from me. The whole time she sat perfectly still. I couldn't help but feel self-conscience. The feeling was made even worse when she darted from the class so quickly when it was over that I didn't have a chance to talk to her. I sighed and went to my last class.

The rest of my day was monotonous. When I got home my mother had already unpacked almost everything. The boxes containing my possessions were sitting in the middle of my new bedroom, so I spent the afternoon organizing everything.

When I was overly tired of that, I turned on my music and listened to it for the rest of the night as I tried to get the image of Bella's hateful stare of out my mind.

Darkness did not come to me quickly, but when it did, I was more than thankful.

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**A/N: I'll try my best to stay within the lines when it comes to the story, but obviously that isn't always the easiest to do. For instance, Edward doesn't do ballet... I hope.**

**Anywho, please bear with me as I try to not butcher the story :)**


	3. Chapter 2: Alone

Chapter 2: Alone

The following morning was equally monotonous as the first. Even without the six-month head start, I found myself farther ahead than even the teachers. Clearly, their knowledge was not as profound as my own.

When I walked into the caf, I immediately listened to the table where _they_ sat. Still I only heard the minds of four. I looked toward the table now, but was disappointed when I found that she wasn't with them.

Without Bella there to distract me, I was able to fully take in the other four members of her group.

The biggest male had dark curly hair, pale features, and the same dark eyes as Bella. Actually, when I thought about it, I realized they _all_ had piercing black eyes. The second male appeared to be tall, with blonde hair and the same paleness as the first. His own dark eyes darted around the room every so often, almost as if he sensed some danger lurking in the shadows. The smallest of them, a female, had short pixie-like, dark hair which struck out in every direction possible—maybe more. Even as I watched her, she got up from the table with her un-eaten tray of food, which she casually dumped into the nearest garbage can before exiting the caf. The last girl was probably the most beautiful of them all—save for Bella; but that was a given. She had long golden hair and elegant features. Her alabaster skin accentuated her beauty more than the others.

It took me a few brief moments to register one important detail about this group of supermodels (because that's what they should be): they all had dark rings under their eyes. Black, even, as if they all suffered from insomnia.

After getting myself a slice of pizza from the caf, I sat down with the same group as yesterday. It didn't pass my observations that all of the girls were fighting over the only vacant spot next to me. Mike was the first to talk, breaking our little bubble of silence.

"I noticed you were looking at that table," he said as he motioned to Bella's table.

"Yeah," I mumbled, picking at my pizza with long fingers.

Mike nodded. "They're very attractive. Their parents are just as good looking. I'd bet that the nurses where their father works must have a tough time concentrating. They haven't been here for long, though. They only moved down here from somewhere in Alaska about two years ago," he said, then a thought hit him that I really wish hadn't.

"What happened to Bella yesterday? She seemed almost in pain during biology."

Great, so he noticed. I could feel his vague thoughts drifting towards fantasies of himself and Bella when my own memory kicked in. Those smouldering eyes, how tense she was, that hateful stare…

* * *

Bella wasn't at school for the next week. I finally got over the idea that she left because of me… almost.

Mike and some others from our group were planning on going down to First Beach in two weeks. They invited me, of course, but I graciously declined, claiming that I had other, more important things to do.

The weekend passed slowly. I got plenty of phonecalls from the girls who were going asking me to go with them—I seemed strangely popular in this town. It became a little more than annoying by the end of Saturday night.

Monday morning, I had an unusual encounter. After I had parked my Volvo, I barely had time to get out before a slightly tanned girl with short hair and _very_ shallow thoughts ran up to me.

"Hi, Edward," she said eagerly. "My name is—"

"Jessica, I know. Hey," I said casually. She seemed overly thrilled by my knowledge. It disturbed me a little. However, I managed to plant a smile onto my face. I noticed that she was blushing. What a strange child, I found myself thinking. "So, what can I do for you?" I amazed myself at my ability to keep my irritation from entering my tone.

"Well—" she began, when another girl with long brunette hair ran up to us.

"Oh. My. God! Jess! _Please_ tell me that you have today's math homework. Mr. Varner is going to _kill_ me!" She dragged a surprised Jessica away. I mouthed a silent 'thank you' at her, and she winked back at me. I could see myself liking her. Her thoughts were honest, genuine.

I smiled a little as I walked to my first class at a relaxed pace, enjoying the cool air. I chuckled a little to myself—cool air in the middle of March!

English passed without fail, and I was happily surprised when it started snowing during my trip to period two. Mike ran up behind me and lobbed a snowball at my head, which missed by inches. Thanks to my telepathy, I was able to know the snowball was aimed at me before it even left Mike's hand. I sprung around, donning a snowball of my own, and threw one back, my deadly aim hitting Mike square on his throat. Everyone within throwing distance immediately joined the fray, and we soon had our own war. I quickly slipped away before any serious damage could be done.

The rest of the morning flew by. I was picking up confidence, even laughing with Angela—the girl who had saved me from Jessica earlier this morning—as we walked into the cafeteria. Out of habit I snuck a glance over at the table—and froze. _Five_ people were sitting there, laughing. They seemed more surreal than ever, as if they were in a TV show, not our cafeteria.

"Edward… Edward?! What's wrong?" Jessica said, running up and grabbing my arm. I shook her off.

"Nothing," I whispered, breaking out of my reverie. I smiled apologetically at Angela, who nodded and took Jessica off with her to our table.

I sat down, suddenly not feeling very hungry. In fact, if I didn't know how completely stupid and pointless it was, I think I would have gone to vomit the contents of my stomach out. I just felt _that_ full. The girls were all projecting worried thoughts at me—mostly Lauren, the girl who thinks she's all that and a slice of cheese—so I smiled politely at them. The whole time I was considering cutting the rest of the day—it isn't as if I was learning anything, anyways. I immediately decided against it, though, when I looked up to their table and saw _her_ smiling at me.

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**A/N: kay, so i saw the Twilight trailer on TV yesterday during 90210, it made me want to cry :(**

**I have to admit, i have the first 7 chapters written at this moment, my problem with updating is my serious lack of time to type this crap up. That and the fact that my computer randomly freezed sometimes, which ends to me having to retype _everything_. **

**So i'm getting this done as fast as i can, of course. However, reviews and ideas would be very nice. :) **

**The first five people to review get an E-cookie :D doesn't it sound fantabulous?**

**So yeah, ideas, please, my train of thought is being crowded by school, and my fountain of ideas is being quickly and efficiently drained.**

**Also, i would like to know some ways in which i can improve the story, and anything you would like to be added to the plotline. yay.**


	4. Chapter 3: Revelation

Chapter 3: Revelation

I walked out of the caf and was soon disappointed to find that all of the snow was melting away.

I hurried to biology and sat in my usual seat, relieved slightly when Bella wasn't there; but also disheartened.

Mercifully, Bella walked into the class with a grace she probably didn't even realize she had. Mr. Banner followed her in and started passing out microscopes and slides to every table. I looked over at Bella, and noticed that she was smiling slightly at me.

While Mr. Banner was handing out the lab equipment, Bella turned to look at me.

"Hi, we didn't get a proper introduction before. My name is Bella Cullen." Her smile amazed me. God, she was so beautiful.

"E—Edward Masen…" I managed to choke out, unsure if she even heard me.

She nodded, looking like she wished to say more, but Mr. Banner was almost done passing out the microscopes. I tried to probe her mind, but she was blocking me out. I was completely baffled. I had _never_ gotten anything less than a general thought from _anyone _before. But I couldn't pick up anything from her other than empty space. It was almost as if Bella Cullen didn't really exist. No matter how much this fact annoyed me, though, I didn't have much time to think about it, because Mr. Banner was explaining our assignment.

We were going to be doing a lab on mitosis. Easy. I had already done this one before. Like I said, I was ahead of everyone.

I put the first slide in and took a fleeting glance. "Prophase," I said, an air of boredom and confidence hinted in my words. One could say that I felt just a little bit smug at that point in time.

"May I see?" Bella asked, already reaching for the microscope. Our hands met briefly, and I was shocked by how cold her soft skin was. It was almost as if she had stuck her hand in a snowdrift before class…

She pulled her hand back immediately, a look of almost pain on her face as she mumbled, "I'm so sorry."

I nodded, somewhat dazed and confused, and passed the microscope over to her.

She confirmed my analysis—I couldn't help but smile at my triumph—and then swiftly switched the first slide for the second.

"Anaphase," she said, already starting to switch the slides.

"May I, partner?" I asked as I reached toward the microscope. She nodded as she passed it to me.

I sighed, she was right. I held out my hand delicately. "Slide three, please," I said, refusing to look at her. To tell the truth, I was afraid if I did I would never look away.

"Interphase," I mumbled as I passed her the microscope. I wrote the answer neatly on the paper as Bella confirmed my answer. By her sigh I could tell that I was right. My smile grew larger.

We were soon finished; ahead of everyone else, and finally had time to talk.

I looked into her smouldering eyes, and noticed something very different about her.

"Your eyes, they're lighter today," I said, feeling the urge to be truthful to her.

She looked surprised, but just shook her head reproachfully at me.

Mr. Banner walked over, giving me hardly any time to fret over Bella's sudden stiffness.

"Bella, isn't it unfair of you to do all of the work yourself?" he said, obviously disapproving.

Bella shook her head at him, her dark fair falling in front of her pale face. "Edward identified three out of five slides," she explained quietly, pushing her hair behind her ears.

"Edward, you've done this before?" he asked me.

I nodded sheepishly. "I was in advanced placement back home…"

Mr. Banner nodded back at me and walked away, which gave Bella and I more time to talk.

"I don't understand…" she said quietly; maybe to herself.

"Pardon me?" I asked, trying again—unsuccessfully—to hear her thoughts.

She looked at me startled. "Sorry," she mumbled before continuing, "I don't understand why someone would want to come here." The usual look of pain returned to her eyes.

"You don't like it here." It wasn't a question.

"You don't seem to want to be here, either," she retorted.

I stared at her for a moment, resisting the need I felt to comfort her—something told me that she wouldn't appreciate me touching her, and that stung bitterly.

She was looking at me like an idiot, so I explained my reason for moving to Forks. "My mother wanted to come here; she feels most at home here. This _is_ where she grew up, after all." I smiled bitterly at her, to self-pitying at the time to feel bad for taking out my annoyance on her. It was very ungentle manly of me.

However, she smiled sweetly at me. I couldn't help but feel dazzled. I returned her smile, this one kindness. "What about your father? Does he like it here?" My smile instantly faded, and I looked at the floor. I couldn't keep back the wetness that was filling my eyes.

"He left when I was little," I said quietly. I took a deep breath to rid my sadness and looked up at her. Her reply was a soft 'oh'. I looked back at her expectantly, my question made obvious in through my eyes.

Her smile faded slightly as she considered her answer. "My parents died a long time ago," she said quietly. I instantly felt compelled to protect her from the pain that flashed through her golden eyes.

"I'm so sorry," I mumbled as I reached a hand out to comfort her. She smiled as she shifted away subtly.

"It's okay, I have my family now," her face brightened as she said this, and I knew she was referring to those who she sat with during lunch. She was beginning to lean toward me, but a new thought seemed to have hit her, and she backed away again. "It's seems unfair that you would come here for your mother, especially since you hate this place so much."

I shrugged. "It's nothing, besides, haven't you ever heard? Life isn't fair."

"I think I _have_ heard that somewhere before." She said, smiling.

I would have said more, but class was—unfortunately—over. I noticed with a slight annoyance that Bella was rushing out of the class again.

Mike had walked over while I was staring after Bella, disgust colouring his features. "You and Bella seemed to have hit it off," he spat at me. His features screamed jealousy at me.

I shrugged one shoulder at him. "We were done early, so we had some extra time to talk."

He nodded, but he didn't look convinced one bit. As he walked away he began fantasizing ways to get himself and Bella alone. It was all I could do to keep myself from ripping his throat out—figuratively speaking.

* * *

When I got home, I went to the bathroom that was mine. I stared into the mirror as I ran my fingers through my hair. I wondered idly how I ever adopted such an annoying habit. I couldn't help but think about _her_. What if Mike was right? What if I _did_ like Bella? And even more, what if _she_ liked _me_? I couldn't help but hope.

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**A/N: alright, so chapter three is in hurrah.**

**I must admit that along the whole typing process, i change half of my paragraphs and reword the other half, which might account for the fact that i'm taking so long.**

**as always, a review or two would be nice, and thanks to those who already reviewed, i really appreciate it.**

**i would love some constructive criticism, as of course i can't think of this story all the time, so my ideas are limited.**

**thank you in advance my devoted... three readers (i'm kidding of course)**

**~Vicki**


	5. Chapter 4: Risk

Chapter 4: Risk

When I woke up the next morning, I noticed a drastic change in the atmosphere. Everything seemed light, somehow. Less _green_, if that was possible.

I walked over to my window and realized with a mix of pleasure and nervousness that the greenery below was coated in a while blanket of snow.

All of the melted snow from the day before had frozen to ice, making the outside world look dazzling, and at the same time deadly.

I realized with a jolt that this description reminded me of Bella. This didn't completely make sense to my rational mind. She was dazzling, sure, but deadly? I shook the thought from my mind as I headed toward my bathroom.

I took a shower, letting my muscles relax in the steaming water. As the tense feeling in my muscles evaporated, I found myself once again thinking of Bella. What was it that drew me to her? I quickly finished up, pulled on my boxers, and headed out of the room towards my closet. I ran my towel over my head, making my original bed head that much worse.

I threw my towel into the laundry basket beside the closet as I opened the door. As I gazed into the small room I realized something vital—I had a _lot_ of stuff.

My mother and I weren't _rich_, per se, but we were definitely well-off. I walked into my large closet (or small room) and looked for something I wanted to wear. I must have had at _least_ $2000 worth of clothes. What could I have said? My mother loved to shop. Christmas was definitely her favourite time of the year.

I went for a simple look—baggy black jeans, a black t-shirt and my favourite hoodie from Pacsun.

I ran my fingers through my hair, wondering idly why some people took hours to achieve that just-woke-up hairstyle when I could get it in five seconds. My casual disarray required no gel, and seemed to be just fine to the other people.

* * *

When I was ready enough, I grabbed a slice of buttered toast my mother had prepared for me and headed out the door.

"Edward?" my mother called, I paused and looked over my shoulder at her. She walked out of the kitchen, smiling at me. "I'm going to be working a double-shift today, Dr. Cullen needs some extra help in the clinic…" she smiled at me as I nodded and walked out the door. I couldn't deny what that name did to me—_Cullen_. Even her name sent a chill down my spine. I was more than glad that I could see her everyday.

I slid down the icy driveway to my car like a professional, glad that I had invested in the year-round weatherproof tires.

The drive to school was slower than normal, because despite my snow tires and built-in radar (a.k.a. my head), I thought a bit of caution would be wise.

I pulled into 'my' place in the school parking lot and got out, noticing that Bella's ancient (but well cared for) truck was only two down from mine. She was just walking around the thing when it happened.

Bella froze, her horror-filled expression mirroring my own.

A blue van was out of control, sliding right toward her.

I don't know if it was adrenaline or some harbored love I had for her that made me do it, but I ran for her—hard and fast. It took me less than a second to make it to her and crash into her. It felt like a slight pause in time before Bella and I went crashing onto the pavement. I landed a little more than painfully onto my shoulder, hearing a loud _thud _as it came into contact with the ground. I waited for the pain to take me over, but the cold numbed it instantly. Tyler's blue van came crashing against Bella's van less than a second later. I noticed numbly that the van curled around Bella's van and was after us again, and I shifted to try to protect Bella. However, she reacted even faster; she squared her shoulders against the impact, placing a hand on the car beside us—creating a hand-shaped groove in it. After a moment of pure idiocy I realized that _she_ was shielding _me_.

I stared at her, bemused by her bravery, but also confused. The van had finally stopped its attempt at our lives, so I took time to contemplate what just happened. Bella saved me—wasn't _I_ the hero?

"Bella?" I finally choked out after a moment of Bella and I staring worriedly at each other. She looked at me, and her worry was mixed with the pain that I had grown so accustomed to. I wondered what plagued her so much to show the pain so clearly in her eyes when even her face showed no signs.

"Are you okay, Edward?" I don't know what she was so worried about, if it wasn't for me running in to save her—I didn't allow myself to finish the thought.

"I'm fine, Bella. I—I was worried about you, though. I was sure that I wasn't going to make it to you in time…" I babbled, unsure if she even cared about me. My obsession with her certainly wasn't healthy.

The next few moments were silent as we listened to the crowd shouting, 'Get Tyler out!' or 'don't move', and a multitude of people explaining what had happened to newcomers in a flurry of panic and screams. All the thoughts in the area screamed the same thing at me—panic, confusion, worry; all mixed into one.

I just looked at Bella tenderly, wishing so much that she would share whatever she was keeping from me.

It was less than ten minutes before the crowd made it to us. Tyler was already being loaded into an ambulance; and through the thoughts of others I could tell that there was an identical one waiting for us.

The paramedic came into our makeshift cage—it didn't register until Bella was talking to him that she was as far away as the cars around us permitted.

"…Edward pushed me out of the way just in time." I heard her explain casually as she motioned in my direction. She seemed strangely calm for having narrowly escaped with her life—if it was even in danger.

The paramedic turned toward me. He had deep brown eyes and dampened brown hair. He was throwing thoughts of concern at me. "What about you?" he asked, looking me over.

I shrugged, noticing a dull ache in my left shoulder. "I'm fine."

He looked convinced. Bella didn't.

The paramedic left Bella and I to explain to the crowd that no one was harmed—other than Tyler, that is.

Bella turned on my immediately. "You lied." My confused expression compelled her to explain further. "Your shoulder is bleeding. I _heard_ it hit the ground. You should definitely get it checked out."

I stared at her. "If it's so bad why didn't you turn me in?" I questioned, not understanding her motives. I felt a little disoriented by how eager she seemed to be rid of me.

She shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't think you would have liked all the attention," she said quietly. Even quieter, she said, "I know I wouldn't have…"

I licked my lips, a little more than annoyed. "I saved your life," I mumbled stubbornly, unsure if this was the truth. "…I think…"

She was silent for a long time. I leaned back against her car and took a deep breath as I noticed the ever-growing pain in my shoulder. I took in her scent as it filled the area. She smelled so good.

I looked at Bella, registering her clothes. A light jacket, beige turtleneck, faded blue jeans. Probably all of the best money could buy. I couldn't get over how much she resembled a supermodel. I slouched down, feeling stupid for believing someone like her could ever love me. I mean, even our clothes were complete opposites. There was no way she could ever see me as more than a lab partner. I wasn't good enough for her. I never would be.

"No," she said, seeming to answer my thoughts. "You're right," she choked out. She looked like she wanted to cry, but she was stronger than that. "It's just so… hard," she mumbled. I moved closer to comfort her, but she shook her head at me, so I moved back to my original place. I wanted to touch her so bad… stroke her cheek, hold her hand, touch her lips, run my fingers through her silky hair…

Then I remembered something.

"How did you do it?" I asked bluntly.

"What?" she blinked, confused.

"Y—you stopped the van, I know you did. Please, tell me Bella, you can trust—"

"Edward, please. Don't," she begged, cutting me off.

I wanted to push her further, but after the look she gave me, I didn't have the heart to. She looked so vulnerable, so _broken_. There was nothing I wanted more than to make her feel better, so I nodded solemnly and stood up. "You owe me an explanation," I said, turning on my heel to leave. I would have offered to help her up—I _was_ a gentleman, after all—but something inside me said she would only refuse.

* * *

People bombarded me with questions as I walked away, but I shrugged them off, once again noticing the throb of pain in my shoulder that was getting sharper by the second.

I decided a trip to the nurse's office wouldn't be _so_ bad.

After a quick examination, the nurse told me what I already figured out—my shoulder was cut across the bone in a deep gash. She suggested that I go to the emergency room, and I promised I would, knowing I would only be breaking said promise. I did, however, sign out with her permission. Apparently I looked paler than usual—though she'd never _tell_ me.

* * *

When I got home, I headed straight up to my room. The dark walls were accentuated by the thick golden carpet. My cast-iron-framed king-sized bed was covered in equally golden blankets against the east wall. By it was a small black table and a bookcase completely filled. It had everything from medical journals to music books to vampire fantasies. On the north wall was a black leather loveseat; next to it a rack of CDs and the door to my giant closet. On the other side was a small table holding a state-of-the-art CD player. On the west side of the room a computer desk was pushed into the corner. About five feet to the right was a 50" plasma screen TV. The south wall was the least busy—one big window centered on the wall shielded by golden curtains, and a bulletin board with various news clippings and pictures beside it.

I walked over to my bedside table and picked up the book. The title read, _Bram Stoker's Dracula._

The small photo of Bella I used as a bookmark (I cut it out of the yearbook I bought from the school) fell out of its place as I examined the book. I looked at it, sighed, and put it back into its place.

I dropped the book onto the table and dropped myself onto my bed.

"Edward, what have you gotten yourself into?" I mocked myself, staring at the ceiling.

I closed my eyes, picturing her in my mind. I rolled onto my side and opened my eyes. My computer was staring back at me. I looked back at _Dracula_, then to the computer once more.

What if it wasn't all fantasy, after all? What if Bella and her family members were—I had to struggle to get the word out, even in my mind—vampires?

I wasn't sure if I wanted to know the truth, but I soon realized it was a risk I had to take. If Bella knew that she could trust me with her secret, maybe she would love me, too. If I could prove myself to her…

I never finished the thought. I was already at the computer, power on, and searching 'vampires' when I made my decision. I realized that I didn't care what Bella was. I loved her. And I would do anything to prove it to her.

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**A/N: alright, chapter four is completified. i felt bad for taking so long to update, so i added about 1,000 words to the original copy. hurrah.**

**reviews would be nice, and i would love to know how i can improve this story.**

**thanks to everyone who submitted feedback and all my devoted readers, much appreciation**

**~Vicki**


	6. Chapter 5: Negotiations

**Disclaimer: i do not own the characters, stephenie meyer does. also, i have no beta, all mistakes are mine.**

* * *

Chapter 5: Negotiations

Upon searching 'vampire', I came across several articles. A majority of them were obviously fake or about novels and various stories from fan sites.

Two stories, however, caught my attention. The Romanian _Varacolaci_, a powerful undead being who appeared to be beautiful and pale; and the Slovak _Nelapsi_, a creature so strong and fast it could massacre an entire village in a single hour after midnight.

The articles matched Bella almost perfectly. But did I really believe that she was a vampire?

* * *

The next morning passed way too slowly. The snow and ice from the previous day had already melted, and the usual dampness took its place. The scenery returned to its unnatural greenness—something that I knew I would soon grow to hate. I couldn't understand how people could ever live here for generations.

I didn't bother to eat anything at lunch—I was too nervous. I wasn't sure if I could really confront Bella. I mean, I didn't have any solid evidence that she was…inhuman—but I had to find out. I ran my pale fingers through damp hair as I crossed the campus to Biology. I entered the class expecting it to be empty. I was wrong.

I walked toward Bella silently. She was sitting in her usual place at our table, barely acknowledging my presence. I felt more than nervous—I didn't even know what to say to her. I smiled nervously at her. She didn't return the gesture. I sat down clumsily next to her before I said anything. As I turned toward her and opened my mouth, I noticed that she was looking at me expectantly.

"Bella, listen—" I began.

She cut me off before I could get a word in edgewise. "Edward, look. I know you… saved me and all, but—" she paused, looking almost as if she didn't want to say what was on her mind. "—but I think it would be better if we didn't… talk anymore."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Was she really serious? She let me stand there, dumbfounded, for a few moments before she continued to speak.

"We just shouldn't be friends." She said quietly. Then she added, even quieter, "I'm sorry…" But maybe the last part wasn't for me.

Six weeks had passed, and throughout them Bella didn't so much as say 'hi' to me.

The other girls seemed to be getting more confident; they followed me around like puppies, jumping at every chance to touch me. This was especially true for Lauren and Jessica, who fought constantly for my attention. Almost every day one of them was asking me out, or hugging me before we parted to class at the end of lunch, or trying to hold my hand as they sat on either side of me during lunch.

There was a spring dance coming up. The kind where girls asked the guys out.

I pulled into the school lot and parked in my usual place. Almost immediately after I got out of my car, Jessica ran up to me—again.

"Edward! I found you!" she gushed. I noticed with disgust that her clothes were a little too revealing at this point in time.

I looked over her shoulder and saw Bella. She was staring at us. I looked away from her death glare and turned back to Jessica.

"—anyway—" she seemed completely unaware of my lapse in attention, "—you'll go to the dance with me, right?"

I blinked at her. "Well, um, I really—" thankfully, while I was furiously trying to come up with an excuse, it started raining. For once I was grateful to be in Forks—the one thing you could always count on was the inconvenient (or in this case, _convenient_) weather to kick in.

"Sorry, Jessica," I mumbled as I reached into the trunk of my car for an umbrella. I handed it to her and hurried away as quickly as my legs would carry me.

As I passed Bella, I could see her watching after me. Through my peripheral vision I could see her anger contorting her beautiful face. It took all I had to suppress the urge to skip school then and there.

I sat through my morning classes without much care. Whenever a teacher called on me for an answer, I picked at their—I guess I would call them ideas, rather than thoughts; because I couldn't focus on them completely—and told them what they wanted to hear.

When I walked into the cafeteria with Lauren hanging off of my arm (and Jessica following us furiously), I didn't even bother to look to _her_ table. In fact, I didn't bother even listening to that table—her family's 'ideas' were too piercing for me, anyways. Trying to hear them was like drinking a Slushie. At first it isn't too bad, but by the third sip the brain freeze kicks in and all you can think is 'ow, ow, ow!' Eventually the pain goes away, of course, but then you're dumb enough to take another sip.

I skipped the food part of lunch, and headed to Biology early. Jessica followed me—God knows why—but thankfully she was silent the whole way. I didn't bother trying to hear her mind, either. It was too shallow for me to deal with. I could just imagine the fantasies she would be concocting… most likely having to do with how many awkward positions she could picture _me_ in—so some of her thoughts leaked through my concentration. I couldn't figure why she was so fascinated by me, but it made me sick.

When we walked into class I ignored Bella as I headed straight to our table. When I got there, I turned on Jessica.

"What can I do for you, Jessica?" I asked, a little too coldly. She looked surprised by the harsh tone my voice took on.

"Well, it's just that—" she stared at me. I noticed that even her eyes were shallow. "—you never gave me an answer, so I thought… maybe you wanted to be in a more _private_ place." She looked around me at Bella. I wanted to gag as I got the meaning of her words. I rolled my eyes.

"Sorry, _Jess_," I emphasized, "but I can't go with you." I quickly came up with an excuse that I knew would catch everyone off guard. "But I'm busy. I'm—" I looked over my shoulder at Bella and smiled cunningly. "—I'm taking Bella into town that night. We're going for dinner, and maybe we'll catch a movie." I smiled brightly, and noticed that Jessica looked dazed despite her jealousy.

Thankfully, Jessica turned and left, obviously upset. I felt guilty, so I called back at her, "Jessica, I have a _feeling_ Mike Newton will say yes." Her happier step made me smile slightly to myself. Bella ruined my moment of smugness.

"I don't know what game you're playing, but don't involve me in it," she said coldly. I turned to face her, surprised to hear the edginess of her voice. Anger played across her face.

"So does this mean you're talking to me again?" I asked coolly.

Her anger dissolved almost instantly. "Well, no. Not exactly…" she said quietly. Her mocha eyes looked sad.

"Well, I hate to burst your bubble," I said, sitting in my seat next to her, "but I don't want to have lied to Jessica. On Saturday, I _am_ taking you out to dinner." She started to protest, but I held my hand up. I felt a little stupid, but she shut up. "One date, Bella." I knew that at this moment my eyes were smouldering. "You can trust me, you know." She still didn't look convinced, so I added, "I know things," and winked at her. By now other students were starting to file into the class.

Bella slouched in her seat, looking defeated. I won, and she knew it.

* * *

**A/N: alright, i did use one quote from Jeff Dunham: Spark of Insanity, or maybe arguing with myself ( i can't tell the difference)**

**i will be putting another chapter up tonight maybe, but i have to go to work now so yep not happening at this moment.**

**Please review, i want to hear all your lovely opinions.**

**also i'd like to add, without the notes, this chapter is 1337 words long. yep**


	7. Chapter 6: Confessions

Chapter 6: Confessions

The rest of that week passed in a daze. Bella ignored me with good grace, especially when I made comments regarding our 'date'.

I was taking her to dinner, but of course that was just a cover. If I was right, if Bella _was_ a vampire—and I had a feeling she was—then Bella wasn't going to eat anything. I was pretty confident that vampires didn't enjoy human food, they preferred blood. (You could call me a supernatural freak, if you want.) Saturday night, I was giving Bella the whole nine yards. Hopefully, she would do the same for me.

* * *

Mercifully, Friday came quickly. I sat down next to Bella in biology as usual, but for the first time since I tricked her into dating me, she seemed to react to my presence. Her liquid topaz eyes bore into mine, giving me an air of danger—and sadness. She smiled politely at me, though I didn't return the gesture. Actually, I didn't do anything. I was—once again—dazzled by her beauty. And here I was, thinking that _Jessica Stanley_ was shallow. I couldn't help but be annoyed by my hypocrisy.

After spending a few moments staring at Bella like an idiot, I blinked. I decided that Bella had a right to know what my plans for spending the next day with her were.

"Bella, I knew you only agreed to dinner, but—" I paused as Mr. Banner walked past us. "—I was thinking; since travelling to the city can take about an hour, we could go earlier and do some shopping. I'll cover all expenses, promise." I smiled warmly at her.

She considered for a moment, obviously having troubles deciding between two ideas. Finally, she asked, "Why?"

This question caught me off guard, but I answered the best I could. "I want to make up for taking your opportunity to go to the dance. Also, I wanted to get to know you better…" I looked down sheepishly when I finished talking. I knew I was flushed, my traitor emotions flowing across my face without permission.

"I'll be at your house around noon?"

I looked up at her in surprise. "S—sure," I managed to choke out. I was so unbelievably lucky; Bella was actually starting to trust me. I smiled even wider. "Don't worry about spending too much money, either. I may not be as…_well off_ as you are, but then again I haven't had as much time to save up…" I winked at her, enjoying her astonished look. You could say I was a little smug.

We didn't have any more time to talk, but even that could not dampen my spirit.

I spent Saturday morning preparing for my Date with Bella. I wore dark jeans, a black long-sleeved T-shirt with a splattered silver design on it. I know I wore black a lot, but I liked the way the black stood out against my ivory skin—which seemed to suit the women here just fine.

I laughed at myself as I recalled how people back in Phoenix often joked by saying my pale skin was because my father was albino—which I found completely absurd.

I looked into the bathroom mirror, staring at my reflection. My emerald eyes mirrored my excitement. I smiled at my appearance, satisfied that I looked good enough for Bella, and ran my fingers through bronze hair.

I walked my window, and was pleased to see that there was a slight drizzle. I enjoyed rain a lot lately—Bella never showed up on sunny days.

I heard a knock from downstairs. My mother opened the door and let Bella in. I heard a muffled conversation float upstairs, but I couldn't make out the words very well. My mother had worried thoughts of Bella getting cold—she had no jacket with her.

I idly wondered how Bella got here—maybe she ran; I mentally joked.

I grabbed my leather jacket and headed down the stairs—and froze. "Bella, you look absolutely…" I was at a loss for words. "…stunning." I said breathlessly.

It wasn't a lie. Her hair was half up; she had a slight flush which accentuated her butterscotch eyes. She wore a deep blue shirt—which looked gorgeous on her—and light blue jeans.

She smiled back at me, looking slightly dazed herself as she took me in. I was more than pleased by her reaction.

My mother quietly slipped out of the room, mumbling something about needing to read a medical journal. She was, after all, a doctor. One of the best, I'd heard.

I walked up to Bella and handed her my jacket. I flushed slightly when she took it and draped it over her arm.

"I thought as much…" she said almost too quietly to hear; then added, "You look great." I smiled warmly at her and escorted her out the door and toward my car.

"Bella, thank you for giving me this opportunity. You have no idea how much it means to me." I seemed compelled to blurt out the truth whenever I was around her. Another annoying human quality.

I saw her look curiously at me through my peripheral vision. "You're keeping things from me," she said bluntly. I looked sideways at her.

"Save it for later, please. We can talk about this at the restaurant." She looked impatiently at the clock, then sighed.

"Why are you doing this?"

"I already told you, I—"

"No," she interrupted. "Why are you so eager to be alone with me? It isn't… right."

I sighed, and continued to drive silently. Several moments of silence passed as I contemplated the meaning hidden behind Bella's words. Finally, "There are many things we're keeping from each other, Bella. I think the walls should drop, and—"

"You don't know what you're talking about." I was getting pretty tired of being interrupted by her so much.

"Bella, when we go for dinner, we'll discuss this. For now, just let me spoil you a little, okay?" She started to protest, but I interrupted _her_ for once. "Bella, really. This isn't because I plan to blackmail you or anything. I honestly _like_ you." There, I got it out in the open.

Bella froze—an unusual reaction; a normal person would have shifted uncomfortably. "It can't work, though…" she whispered.

I rolled my eyes as we came into the city. "Save the negativity for dinner, okay?" She just nodded solemnly and I helped her out of the car.

We spent the afternoon shopping. She tried clothes on and asked my opinion of everything—it was all pointless, of course; she looked beautiful no matter what she wore.

Finally, dinner came. Bella and I walked slowly to the nearest restaurant. To my great satisfaction, I found Bella wearing my leather jacket. However, I found that Bella also made sure not to come into contact with my skin.

We walked into the restaurant, and a perky brunette greeted us. She seemed a little upset by Bella's beauty—and my obvious attraction for her—but once she saw the distance between us, she instantly cheered up.

"Table for two?" I requested, and then added, "Somewhere private, if you don't mind." I casually handed her a $50 bill. I was picking up thoughts about myself from her, but ignored them as best I could.

The greeter sat us at a booth set apart from the rest of the restaurant and quickly disappeared.

Soon after, a blonde waitress bounced over, obviously pleased by my appearance.

"What can I get you?" she asked me. I nodded toward Bella, who jumped slightly.

"I'll have a coke?" she somehow managed to make it into a question.

"Two cokes," I added coolly. The waitress nodded and bounced off.

Bella looked uneasy, so I made my announcement quick.

"Bella, I know…" I reached my hand out to touch hers, but she pulled it back. She looked sad. I wanted to comfort her more than anything, she needed to know that she could depend on me. "…I have a—a theory, we'll call it." She looked defeated as I spoke.

"I don't think I want to hear this…" she mumbled, looking down at her hands.

I wanted the pain in her eyes to disappear as soon as possible, so I quickly blurted out the truth. "Bella, I have never believed in the… supernatural." I paused for dramatic effect and smiled wryly. "…but with you, I'm sure that anything could happen." I sighed when she didn't respond. "Bella, what I'm trying to say is—" I shifted uneasily. "You're a—a vampire, aren't you?" I felt stupid saying it, expecting her to mock my intelligence in any second. I looked down, ashamed of myself.

"I'm a monster," Bella mumbled, hiding her face in her pale hands.

I looked up, startled. "No, you're not. Being a—vampire—doesn't mean you're a monster. Besides—" I gently moved her hands from her face, looking at her tenderly. "—it doesn't matter to me what you are."

She seemed surprised by my declaration, and somewhat angry. "It doesn't _matter_?" But she changed the subject, which gave me no time to reply. "You're telepathic, aren't you. That's how you knew." She asked, a slight annoyance in her tone. "You _always_ seem to know things you really shouldn't."

I shrugged. "I do hear vague thoughts; I can kind of tell what everyone in the room is thinking. For instance—" I pointed to each person as I told Bella their thoughts. "—money, sex, money, sex, _cat_." I smiled wryly at my confirmation. I shifted to a more serious thought as I said, "It wasn't easy, though, to listen to your family. Their minds are so complex…" Through my babbling, Bella's confusion grew more prominent.

"Why didn't you just listen to me?" she asked with an agitated tone colouring her words.

I sighed. "I've tried on many occasions, Bella," I explained, "but you're completely blocking me out."

She seemed surprised yet knowing as she mumbled, "Oh."

The waitress soon arrived carrying our drinks.

"Are you ready to order?" she asked me again. Bella seemed slightly annoyed by her presence.

"Mushroom ravioli," I said casually, adding, "Bella and I can share it." I smiled at her, and she nodded as she walked away, dazed.

"You really shouldn't do that," Bella scolded.

"Excuse me?" I asked, a smile playing on my lips.

"Dazzling women—it's hardly fair." Her lips twitched but she remained unsmiling.

"Do I dazzle you?" I asked nonchalantly.

"Frequently," she admitted.

I laughed, and I knew the emotion carried through to my eyes. To her confused expression I added, "You do the same to me."

She smiled smugly at me.

Our food soon arrived, and I ate most of it quickly. Bella was silent while I ate, allowing me to take the time to chew the food so that I didn't choke. Finally, she said, "Thank you for covering for me."

I shrugged. "It's nothing, really." I placed her fork in the plate opposite my own.

"This isn't the only time," she reminded me.

"I know." I smiled at her, she turned away slightly, obviously embarrassed.

"Bella." She looked up at me gingerly. "How old are you?"

The question seemed to have caught her off guard, but she quickly responded. "Eighteen."

I chuckled, "And how long have you been eighteen?"

She smiled wryly. "A while."

I looked at the clock on the wall before asking, "Are you ready to go?" Bella nodded.

As if she had been listening in, our waitress soon came scurrying over to our table. I nodded at her, and asked, "Can we please have our cheque?" I raised an eyebrow at her. She nodded and handed the little paper to me. I looked at it fleetingly before handing her a fifty dollar bill. "Keep the change," I added coolly. She stared at me, shocked, and nodded.

Bella and I walked out to my car together. We weren't quite touching, but I knew why—it was the last question I had to ask her.

On the long drive back to Forks, I angled myself toward her. She was watching me expectantly, knowing the question on my mind. "So… how strong is your attraction… you know, to my blood?" the question made _me_ uneasy, I could only imagine how bad it was for her.

She hesitated before answering my question. "Well, imagine you were addicted to heroine… Everyone has their own… preferences…" she trailed off, seeming to be at a loss for words; so I tried to help.

"So what you're saying it, I'm your brand of heroine?" I raised an eyebrow, expecting her to laugh at me.

"Yes," she said, obviously amused by my attempt at understanding her analogy. "You are _exactly_ my brand of heroine."

* * *

**A/N: alright, so i must admit that i overused twilight quotes quite a bit in this one.**

**also, i saw twilight earlier today with my friends, and i really loved "money, sex, money, sex, cat" so i just _had_ to incorporate it into this chapter.**

**it would be more than nice if you guys would review, and thank you to those who already reviewed, i appreciate it more than you could imagine. your reviews are what makes me get up every day :) i got quite a few emails for favourites or alerts, and a few reviews, and it made me very happy. like fangirl happy ^.^ keep it up**

**Furthermore, i realize that i promised this chapter for yesterday, but i didn't realize how painfully long this chapter was (longer than most, and a lot more errors to fix and confusing rewords that are two pages from where they should be) thank you for your patience.**

**i will try to get a new chapter up soon, but i can't promise anything, as i am officially _swamped_ by work and school and dance.**

**much love**

**~Vicki**


	8. Chapter 7: Interrogations

Chapter 7: Interrogations

A majority of the car ride back to Forks was spent in silence. It wasn't an awkward, silence, though. Bella and I were able to enjoy each other's presence, without the requisition of speech.

Every now and then I would look at Bella from the corners of my eyes. I was always greeted by her warm smile as she snuggled in my leather jacket. I smiled to myself, pleased by her reaction.

We finally turned onto the road that led to Forks. I tilted my head slightly in Bella's direction, careful to keep my eyes on the road as well.

"If you could just give me directions to your house…" I whispered quietly, aware that her ultra sensitive hearing could pick up my words. I felt my face get warm as Bella stared at me.

"Edward, just drop me off at school. My family can take me home," her words cut through me like knives, but I shook the feeling off. I didn't expect her to trust me, anyways—at least, that's what I told myself. I drove silently for the rest of the trip; Bella didn't seem too eager to talk, either.

I knew that by the time I got out of the car and around to Bella's side to let her out, she would be gone. So I didn't expect that when I opened the passenger's door to see Bella waiting patiently for me. I felt my traitor blush appearing again as I offered Bella my hand to help her out of the car. She smiled at me, but shook her head. My confidence faltered as I backed up to give Bella room to get out. I walked slowly beside Bella, prolonging my limited time with her. I knew that as soon as we parted our separate ways, our relationship will snap back to the way it was before—nonexistent.

I decided to ask Bella the one question that had been haunting me most ever since my first day in Forks.

"Bella," I said lightly, turning my emerald eyes in time to meet her golden ones. Her eyes smouldered. I felt my own confusion of the day amplify as I stared into her eyes. I wondered why she looked at me like that; as if I actually meant something to her. I took a deep breath, enjoying her scent—it was almost like a mix between strawberries and freesia—and asked my question. "Why can't I hear you? I know it isn't because of what you _are_…" I paused and let the question sink in before continuing. "…because I can hear your family, sort of. I just want to know what I'm up against." I said jokingly, trying to ease the tenseness in the air. Bella's posture was unnatural—she was unmoving, I didn't even know if she was breathing.

We had made it to the gym doors by now, and had stopped moving altogether. The overhanging wall protected us from the steady flow of rain.

After several moments, Bella sighed. "Sometimes… you're too smart for your own good," she said a little too coldly. I raised an eyebrow at her and waited for her to answer my question.

"That wasn't my question, Bella." I prompted.

Bella smiled nervously up at me. "I'm sorry," she said, looking up into my eyes, "I guess I just got lost in my own train of thoughts…" she trailed off.

"And?" I asked again, trying unsuccessfully to keep the irritation out of my voice.

"Well," Bella breathed, taking in my scent. Something inside of her seemed to click; because she finally decided she could trust me. She blurted out the answer honestly. "Some vampires have special… talents." She smiled a nervously before continuing. "I'm a—shield, I guess you could say. I can block my mind and anyone else's whom I chose—within a certain distance, anyways—from other vampires' abilities. It's strictly mental—go figure. I—I thought it was restricted to my own kind, but I guess that I've never really run across a human with such developed gifts before, and—"

I grabbed her hand quickly, signaling that she could stop. I was fully aware that such a gesture could quickly lead to the end my life. I removed my hand as soon as I was sure that Bella was done babbling.

"You know," she lectured me. "You really shouldn't do that. It could… complicate things." I immediately took notice of the distance in her voice and eyes.

"But Bella, it isn't so hard for you right now," I said confidently.

"How—"

I shrugged. "Your eye colour. I remember, on my first day here, your eyes were darker than coal. It must have been horrible for you then… but lately, they're never darker than chocolate."

Her face was deathly serious. "I've been very careful not to go too long without… I can't afford to lose control around you… one wrong move, and…" she trailed off.

I nodded solemnly. Bella couldn't get the words out, but I heard her message loud and clear—if she ever forgot just once how fragile humans are, I could die.

I only had one more question, maybe the most important of all. "Why are your eyes gold? All of the vamps—" I smiled to myself at the contraction, and Bella smiled back at me. "—that I read of had _red_ eyes. Why is your family different?"

Bella shifted her weight, seemingly uncomfortable. "Well, my family is different from other vampires. Most drink human blood. But my family—we drink animals. We call ourselves _vegetarians_—our own little inside joke." She paused and took in a deep breath before continuing. "We aren't the only ones, though. Before we came to Forks we lives up in Denali, in Alaska, with another coven of vegetarian vampires…"

I smiled crookedly at her. She seemed slightly dazed.

"Now, myths…" she rolled her eyes dramatically. "Do you sleep in coffins?" I raised an eyebrow at her.

She giggled, then replied, "I can't sleep, Edward."

I stared at her blankly? "At all?"

She shook her head. "Nope. Haven't slept once since I became a vampire."

I was surprised, but I nodded, and stored the information in my mind for later. I continued on as normal. "Does garlic hurt you? How about wooden stakes? Crosses? _Anything_?"

She shook her head at each question as I asked it. "Nothing can really hurt us; apart from each other, of course. Part of being immortal is being impenetrable."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "One more. I noticed that you're _never_ here during sunny days—"

"Like I said before, too observant." Bella interrupted me.

"_As_ _I was saying_," I said, adding emphasis to the words I spoke. Bella rolled her eyes at me. "Does the sun hurt you?"

"No, but we can't exactly go out in the sun in public. People would know we're different…" to my questioning look, she added, "I'll show you one day, I promise."

I nodded. "I'll hold you too that." I smiled lightly. I ran my fingers gently along Bella's cheek. She froze, but I knew it was for my safety; not because she didn't like the gesture. She seemed to be enjoying my touch. I smiled warmly at her. "I'll let you find your family now," I said quietly as I turned to leave.

"Edward," my name sounded so sweet coming from her voice. It took all of my strength to stay rooted in my place, and not run back to her. I turned to face her, seeing Bella's violent humour play with her eyes. She reminded me of a kitten that thought it was more dangerous than it really was. Thought, in Bella's case, she really _was_ as dangerous as she thought she was. Bella smiled evilly at me. "Tomorrow it's my turn." She winked playfully, than walked through the doors into the gym, which left me in the parking lot alone.

I breathed in the damp night air, smiling to myself. I could hear the faint words of the music playing in the gym. It seemed oddly fitting for how I felt towards Bella.

_When I see your smile_

_Tears run down my face_

_I can't replace_

_And now I'm stronger I've figured out_

_How this world turns cold_

_And breaks through my soul_

_And I know I'll find deep inside me_

_I can be the one_

_I will never let you fall_

_I'll stand up with you forever_

_I'll be there for you through it all_

_Even if saving you sends me to heaven_

_It's okay, it's okay, it's okay_

_Seasons are changing and waves are crashing_

_And stars are falling all for us_

_Days grow longer and nights grow shorter_

_I can show you, I'll be the one_

_I will never let you fall_

_I'll stand up with you forever_

_I'll be there for you through it all_

_Even if saving you sends me to heaven_

'_Cause you're my, you're my, my_

_My true love, my whole heart_

_Please don't throw that away_

'_Cause I'm here for you_

_Please don't walk away_

_And please tell me, you'll stay, stay_

_Use me as you will_

_Pull my strings just for a thrill_

_And I know, I'll be okay_

_Though my skies are turning gray_

_I will never let you fall_

_I'll stand up with you forever_

_I'll be there for you through it all_

_Even if saving you sends me to heaven_

_I will never let you fall_

_I'll stand up with you forever_

-Your guardian Angel  
—The Red jumpsuit Apparatus

* * *

I woke up the next morning in a daze. Did I dream everything? Was it really Sunday already? My fingers still tingled where I had brushed Bella's cheek. I smiled at the memory.

I sat up and groaned. My head was pounding. I shook it from side to side slowly, trying to shake off the pain.

I sluggishly trudged to the bathroom. I took a shower, enjoying how the warm water fell on the planes of my back, loosing the stiff muscles.

I got out of the shower, stretching. I yawned, remembering with a jolt what Bella had said the night before.

"_Tomorrow it's my turn."_

I walked into my roomy closet shakily and donned some casual clothes to wear.

My usual baggy, ripped black jeans, a black shirt with a green splattered-paint design, and a black hoodie with a variety of designs on it.

I ran my fingers through my hair as I often did when I was anxious or tired, and walked over to the far end of my room to look out the window. A steady downpour greeted me. I wondered idly what Bella was doing.

A loud knock from downstairs broke me from my reverie. After several more equally loud and annoying knocks, I walked down to answer the door myself. It wasn't until I had my hand on the knob that I realized that my mother worked on Sundays.

_What did she do again?_ I asked myself. _I think she's a doctor… maybe she works with Dr. Cullen—Bella's father…_

"Planning on answering the door anytime soon?" an irritated female voice asked from the other side of the door. I jumped, startled by harsh tone.

"Yeah… sorry…" I mumbled as I opened the door. I expected to see Bella, but that wasn't exactly the case.

* * *

I blinked in surprise as my new guest invited herself inside. It was the short pixie-like girl from Bella's family.

"I'm Alice, by the way," she said, answering my unasked question. She eyes the house and myself, then nodded in approval. "I can tell why she likes you. You have good taste." She sighed dramatically. "I'm finally getting through to that girl. Oh, my little Bella is growing up so fast." She wiped an imaginary tear from her face.

I rolled my eyes. "So what are you doing here?" I asked casually, looking up at the ceiling. _More importantly, where's Bella?_ I looked down at her, she seemed too happy to be healthy.

"Oh, I'm here to crash your soon-to-be makeout scene with Bella." She said cheerfully as she bounced around the room. She made a point to examine everything. She turned back to me and answered my questioning look. "I can see the future—subjectively, that is. The future can change depending on a person's decisions." She shrugged, then smiled. "I know about your gift too, Edward." She said as she bounced into the kitchen.

"Okay…" I said, disbelieving. _What a freak…_ I thought, trying once again to grasp Alice's train of thought—but it was still too sharp for me to handle. _Maybe one day I'll be able to get past the edge, but obviously not today._

Finally, mercifully, Bella walked into the house. I smiled sincerely at her. "Hey," I breathed.

Bella smiled back at me as we walked into the kitchen together to join Alice. "I'm sorry about Alice," she said sheepishly. "She just likes to… wreak havoc." Alice smiled innocently at me from across the room, making it impossible to believe she could be half as evil as Bella said.

"Now, let the questioning begin!" Bella exclaimed menacingly, and launched into a frenzy of questions ranging from my favourite music to my life in the world of dating.

At one point in time, Bella asked me what my favourite gemstone was. Without thinking, I blurted out, 'topaz'. Alice raised her eyebrows at me, and Bella stopped her questioning so that I could explain my reason for blushing.

I blushed more furiously than ever, and said, "It's the colour of your eyes… they're just so…" I trailed off, eyeing Alice, who was pretending to be interested in the contents of my fridge. Every now and then, she would make a disgusted sound or some remark of how strange human tastes are.

Bella smiled at me. "Mine is emerald." I didn't need an explanation to recognize her reference to my own eye colour. I felt my already warm face turn hotter. I was sure that if Bella was able to blush, she would be, too. This made me feel slightly better. However, she continued her rapid fire questions as if nothing had changed. Anytime I sighed or hesitated in answering, Bella would ask why, which would cause her to go down a completely new path of questions.

Every so often Alice would leave some reminder that she was there: a cough, walking between us, asking me the vintage of a couch, etc.

Every time, Bella apologized to me, explaining that Alice was her best friend, and she just couldn't resist getting to know me as much as she possible could.

I sensed a deeper meaning behind Bella's words, but whenever I tried getting the answer from Alice, I found her thinking of other things.

The whole day went in the manner; question after never-ending question. But it didn't matter to me. Bella actually cared about me, and that was enough to keep me going forever.

* * *

**A/N: i was so unbelievably thrilled when my inbox flooded with author/story alerts and favourites, thank you so much guys.**

**as always, reviews will be much appreciated, and thank you everyone who already reviewed, it means a lot to me.**

**i'm almost out of chapters i wrote beforehand, so of course it will take me longer to update when i do. any ideas for how the story will turn are much appreciated. also, i want to know if you'd like the story to end with edward as a vampire, human, or some crazy mix thing like Bella (with the patch of vamp skin). also, i can continue the story past twilight if so desired, but i might start new stories for those if you want me to..**

**anyhow, review review review! -sends subliminal messages _press that review button_- :)**


	9. Chapter 8: Mistake

Chapter 8: Mistake

By this time, we were long past dinner. Alice had Bella and I clean and reorganize furniture as her latest 'project'. She wouldn't accept no as an answer; claiming that my mother would need a reason for our gathering.

We had just taken a break so that I could fix myself something to eat when the phone rang. I jumped, and Bella froze when it went off. Alice continued her work in the next room, pretending that she wasn't eavesdropping the entire time.

I shakily walked over and picked up the cordless receiver, which I placed against my ear before mumbling, "Hello?"

"Edward," a female voice breathed at me from the other end of the line. I realized after a moment that it was my mother, Elizabeth Masen.

"Oh, hey, mom," I said nervously as I snuck a glance at Bella, who smiled sweetly back at me.

"What are you up to?" the voice asked suspiciously.

"Um, just… redecorating. I needed something to do, and a few of my friends… offered to help out… you know, just move stuff around and everything…" I babbled nervously. I desperately hoped that she would believe my story—I mean, I _knew_ it was the truth, and I found it hard to believe.

"Okay…" she didn't sound convinced, but it was obvious that she wasn't going to argue farther. "Well," she continued, "I have to stay a bit late at work tonight… Dr. Cullen wanted some extra help in his rounds, and asked if I'd volunteer."

I glanced suspiciously at Alice as she walked into the kitchen to join us, and she winked casually at me.

After a few more minutes I was able to say goodbye to my mother, and hung up. My dinner was ready—Kraft Dinner didn't take long to make, after all—so I downed a few spoonfuls before continuing my conversation with Bella.

"You planned this, right? You asked Carlisle to help you… to stall my mother." I raised an eyebrow slyly at her. She simply smiled at me. I couldn't help but notice how cute she looked when she was pretending to be innocent…

Alice left the room after a few minutes, complaining that watching me eat wasn't exciting enough for her, and was dancing around the house as she moved furniture around as if it all weighed less than paper.

I stole a glance at Bella, unable to help the feeling of longing that overwhelmed me. I met her kind smile, returning one of my own crooked ones. Her eyes smouldered as we subconsciously leaned in toward each other slowly.

"I—I want—I have to… _try_," she mumbled, before closing the distance between us. Her lips met mine gently, passionately. Her hands cupped my face; combed through my messy hair.

I didn't mind her cold touch one bit, it only made me all the more eager to press into her body—everything felt that much more alive; somehow warmer. Lovingly, I hugged Bella closer to myself, refusing to let her go. I picked her up—she was very light—and sat her on the kitchen counter. I was vaguely aware that Alice was in the room; frozen with shock. The vase she had been holding had crashed to the floor dully, dozens of broken pieces scattered over the tiles; Alice's face was a mask of horror.

But I didn't care. I pressed my whole being into Bella—wanting to be as close to her as was possible; and was amazed by her self-control. I was more than aware how much stronger she was than myself—one mistake and my life would end; but it made no difference to me. Kissing Bella felt _right_; the way our lips merged… it was as if we were created for the sole purpose of being _together_.

I could feel the room spinning, my blood boiling. She mirrored my own eagerness with her own as we pulled ourselves closer to one another. I put one hand on the nape of her neck and the other on the small of her back, drawing her closer still to myself. Bella's tongue traced my lower lip, tasting my skin; her hands held onto fistfuls of my bronze hair. I noticed absentmindedly that my lip was throbbing dully from her touch; but it wasn't even close to the ecstasy I felt from Bella's close proximity. She held my lower lip in her mouth; sucking on it…

But all too soon it was over. I felt Bella tense as she realized that her control was slipping away, her passion caving into bloodlust. There was a rusty taste in my mouth now; I could feel a liquid oozing from the throb in my lower lip.

Alice wasted no time to charge Bella; separating us from each other in an instant.

I was finally noticing the pain in my lip. I licked it, realizing with a shock what the mistake was. There was no mistaking the taste of blood—metallic, rusty, _wrong_.

But if Bella had bitten me, then she had also taken the liberty of removing any and all venom—no burning sensations were taking me over as she said they would.

It had been under a minute, but already I was missing Bella's touch. I leaned back against the counter and sighed.

"Bella, I'm sorry," I mumbled. I looked up at the ceiling, more than frustrated with myself. I looked quickly to Bella, who was watching me with concern colouring her expression.

"It's my fault. Really. I knew… Alice saw, and…" she trailed off, slouching into the nearest chair. Alice was by her side immediately to comfort her.

"Maybe we should go, Bell—" she froze before she could finish; distant images flashed through my mind, too sharp to truly focus on. It was something regarding a male-model and a body-builder…

Just then, the doorbell rang. I walked shakily over to the door, opening it with a little more force than necessary. Suddenly I realized why the two men staring at me were so familiar—they were the ones in Alice's vision.

Emmett and Jasper let themselves in; closing the door from me as I stood there awkwardly.

The tall thin one, Jasper, sniffed the air nonchalantly and turned to Emmett. "I don't know how she can stand it… his blood is so…" he trailed off with a sigh, obviously trying not to scare me.

Emmett, however, had a different approach. He smiled broadly at me. "Hey soon-to-be bro!" He shouted, hitting me hard on the back. I coughed, wincing. "Oops," he grinned as I shot him death-glares. I found it hard not to stay mad at him—he was a joke on legs, after all—so I shrugged and walked back into the kitchen to join Bella and Alice.

I found Bella sitting in the same chair as before, eyes closed. Alice was by her side, comforting her.

Emmett was the first to break the silence. "Bella, what were you two _doing_?! I could hear you from down the street. _Really_." I could feel my face grow hot; I wanted to find a nice hole to hide in.

Bella glared menacingly at him—I couldn't help but notice how she resembled a kitten that thinks it's scarier than it really is—then sent a silent apology to me. I saw her wince as she caught sight of the slit in my lower lip. I licked it, feeling self-conscious as she looked away way too quickly. I could feel my confidence drop more as the seconds ticked by.

Jasper took his position by Alice's side, stroking her hair absentmindedly. I felt suddenly calm, as if I hadn't cause pain to Bella at all—it was actually annoying, because I knew that I _had_ upset her.

Bella finally spoke, breaking the silence that had once again settled upon our group. "Edward and I were only kissing—don't be such a jerk." When no one responded, she continued. "I accidentally bit him, and I had to get the venom out… but… he just… he tasted so _good_… I don't know… how I—how I stopped…" She seemed close to crying, despite Jasper's calming affect. Alice exchanged glances with him, and he nodded. I soon felt the calm become stronger—all the more annoying.

"That's why Alice came, Bella," Jasper told her; comforted her. His usually edgy personality seemed softer, kinder.

I found myself wishing now more than ever that they would all go away, that Bella and I could just—

I wasn't able to finish the thought. It had been completely wiped away. Not only that, but Emmett was holding me still, restricting my movement. I looked at the bear that was holding me still. "Do you _mind_?!" I asked angrily.

"Actually, I do," he said with a bitter kindness. "You see, Bella likes you, and unless you keep yourself alive, she'll never get laid," he said bluntly. Bella's eyes shot daggers at him.

"Fine," I said, giving in with a sigh of defeat. "I guess you guys should go… Bella, I—I'll see you tomorrow." I smiled sheepishly at her, and she smiled back. I knew I had to be blushing.

Bella brushed my hand lightly with hers as she walked by. Despite everything that had happened, I felt myself smile.

* * *

My mother got home sometime after midnight, which woke me with a start. I noticed that something felt off. I waited until I was sure that she was sound asleep, then I walked over to my window. Something was compelling me to open the window. I leaned out nervously and whispered, "Bella?"

The voice that responded, "Over here," from behind me made me jump and hit my head on the open window, causing me to curse under my breath. I withdrew myself from the window, closing it as quietly as I possibly could before spinning around to face Bella. She was sitting casually on my bed, smiling at me and patting the spot next to her for me to sit down. I gladly obliged and sat down next to her.

"Bella, I _am_ sorry," I said, pulling her in closer to myself. She snuggled into my shoulder, her cool skin sending much-welcomed chills down my spine.

"I told you already, it's my fault," she mumbled. "Besides," she added, and I knew she would blush if it was possible, "I really enjoyed it." She grinned at me, showing me all of her pearly-white teeth. I smiled back at her, happy that she was willing to spend time with me.

"I'm glad," I breathed, "I thought it was just me," I allowed a chuckle to escape me.

"So," I said, changing the subject abruptly. How long have you been visiting my room?" Her mouth made a popping sound as her jaw dropped open. It was obvious that she had no plans of being caught. "It's okay, Bella, I just hope I haven't said too much in my sleep," I reassured her. But that always was my biggest problem—sleep talking.

Bella's sheepish smile told me everything I didn't want to know. I sighed and nodded, portraying that I understood. "Bella, I know you probably don't understand, but, maybe—"

She kissed me before I had a chance to finish—not with the same passion as earlier that day, but just as sweet. She pulled back quickly, her eyes smouldering once again. Her beauty left me speechless.

"No, Edward," she breathed, seeming to _know_ what my next words were going to be. "This most definitely is _not_ a mistake."

* * *

**A/N: i'm sorry that i didn't update in so long, i kind of forgot :) however, thanks to my last reviewer, who sent three reviews in a row, i decided that it would be nice of me if i gave you a new chapter. i'm sorry if it's kind of random, i'm tired :)**

**there is a little fluff, but not too much--just the right amount, i think.**

**happy New Year :3**

**~Vicki**


	10. Chapter 9: Hunted

Chapter 9: Hunter

I woke up the next morning in a daze, frustrated by my all-too-real dreams.

I was positive that Bella had been with me the night before—had lain with me as I slept, even. But my bed was empty, safe for myself; and devoid of any traces of Bella. I sat up tiredly; then noticed something drastic that sent a chill running down my spine.

Sitting quietly on the loveseat in the corner of my room, watching me with liquid golden eyes, was the woman who starred in my dreams.

Bella smiled at me, pure joy caressing her perfect features.

I smiled groggily at her. "Hey," I said lamely as I got out of bed.

Her smile grew full-out into a grin as she replied back to me. "Hey," she said, equally lamely.

She grabbed my wrist as I walked by on my way to the bathroom and pulled me down to sit beside her. We exchanged a brief kiss; I greedily wished for more.

"Your self-control astounds me," I informed her, "I don't think I could ever be as controlled as you are."

She smiled at me as I felt my ever-present blush filling me cheeks, and nuzzled my cheek. "I was suited for this life, I suppose. Carlisle always said that it was meant to be; I didn't even go through the craze of a newborn my first year," she explained quietly before releasing me from her grip.

"It's okay if I take a moment to be a human?" I checked; hand already on the doorknob leading to my bathroom.

She nodded solemnly and smiled reassuringly at me. I returned the smile; feeling completely drawn to her, but pushing the want to the back of my mind.

I showered quickly and rushed to get ready. I pulled on some boxers and cracked the door open a sliver; checking for any signs of Bella. To my dismay, I found none. I sulked over to my walk-in, dragging my feet as I went.

Bella's laugh caught me off guard. I spun towards the window and saw her climbing through it into my room.

"Why did you leave?" I questioned, somewhat disheartened. My confusion momentarily distracted me from my near-nude state.

"Well, obviously it wouldn't be wise to go to school in the same outfit I wore yesterday. _And I'm pretty sure Alice would kill me,_" she explained; I had to strain my ears to catch the last part. I laughed silently to myself. Bella then looked me over, cataloguing every detail of my body. It took me a minute to realize why she was so concentrated on me, but once I realized, I was horrified.

By the burning sensation throughout my body, I could tell that I had created a new shade of crimson. I inched over to my closet—trying to make it look casual (and failing)—as I dashed inside. I threw on the first clothes I found that would work well together—black torn jeans and a beige turtleneck. I made my way out of the closet; my eyes on the floor ashamedly.

"You look really handsome," Bella chimed. I looked up; only to find a sly look on her face. I didn't want to hear the next words that came out of her mouth. "But I think I like you best shirtless," she said, stalking over to me and pulling me into a hug. I couldn't help but feel slightly incompetent—she was at _least_ a head shorter than me, and yet so much stronger…

"Bella," I sighed, pushing her shoulders gently. She followed my wordless command; albeit with a confused look on her face. She looked dejected, so I quickly worded my reason. "It's also better if we don't leave my house… _together_," I said, raising an eyebrow as her usual perceptive face was a blank. "What would people think, Bella?" I continued, trying to get my point across.

Finally, the words clicked, and she smiled sadly at me. She gave me another quick hug as I kissed the top of her head. I couldn't believe how wonderful her hair smelled; it was a super-concentrated version of her own scent. The only thing more powerful was the scent of her breath in my mouth as her lips eagerly found mine.

We released our embrace reluctantly. I ran the back of my hand soothingly over her cool cheek; surprised once more by the perfection of her porcelain skin.

Without another word, Bella slipped silently out my window and disappeared. I leaned on the sill, staring at the place where she had vanished; wishing that she could only be in my arms once again.

* * *

I drove to school quietly; enjoying the peace as it calmed my quickened heartbeat. My driving was a little more reckless than usual as I sped down the road—though that wasn't saying much, I never got caught. It was no time at all before I reached the school parking lot. I readied myself for the morning that was sure to bore me.

I spent said morning in a daze. However, as lunch approached, I felt myself becoming more and more awake—excited for my ability to see Bella once more.

When I walked into the cafeteria, I looked to Bella's table—only to be completely disappointed. Bella wasn't there—actually, none of the Cullens or Hales were there. I felt my heart sink in my chest.

I didn't bother to get any food; I bought a bottle of lemonade for appearances. I didn't need anyone thinking I was anorexic—that would make the girls try after me _more_, if only to get me to eat.

I took my usual place at Mike's table and played with the cap of my bottle; ignoring the beverage itself completely. Jessica and Lauren sat on either side of me, explaining to me how thrilled they were that I was back with them. I ignored them both; letting my mind wander, trying to find a reason why Bella wouldn't have shown up.

"Bella Cullen is staring at you," Jessica said impatiently, jealously, into my ear.

I looked up, shocked, and saw Bella sitting alone at a table at the back of the caf. She smiled at me, motioning for me to join her. I mumbled an apology to the group and slipped out of Jessica and Lauren's frantic grips on my arms. Soon I was sitting across from Bella; breathing in her too sweet smell.

"Hey," I said; just as lamely as I had earlier that day.

Bella beamed at me, obviously thrilled that I was sitting with her. I chuckled quietly as I heard the downpour of insults being thrown in Bella's direction.

_She isn't even _that_ pretty,_ Jessica thought angrily at me, willing me to come back. Lauren's thoughts weren't much different.

To Bella's puzzled look, I said, "my friends are mad at you for stealing me."

Her smile became beautiful and deadly as she joked, "Maybe I don't feel like giving you back," and she reached out and furiously grabbed my hand. I marvelled in her cool touch as I gently drew circles on the back of her hand with my thumb.

"So why the change of heart lately?" I asked absentmindedly.

Bella shrugged. "I figured as long as I'm going to hell, I may as well do it thoroughly."

I raised an eyebrow questioningly, but left the subject where it was.

I glanced at the clock above the door to the caf and sighed.

"Class is starting soon," I mumbled as I started to stand up. Bella held my hand tighter.

"I was thinking… maybe we could skip the rest of the day?" she said, turning her request into a question. I cocked my head to the side, questioning her. "Well, they're blood typing in biology today. Obviously I can't go. So I thought, maybe we could go to my place." She waited a minute before continuing. "The rest of my family is there, I thought you could meet them…" she said, as if that alone was enough reason for me to go.

Of course, I would have said yes to anything Bella asked. I smiled crookedly at her. "I would love to go meet your family, Bella," I said as I stood up fully. Her ecstatic expression made my heart skip a beat.

Bella and I walked out of the caf together; hand in hand.

* * *

The ride to Bella's home was long; I found her driving was painfully slow, compared to my own. My poor car begged to go fast—you could hear it in the sad sounds it made as its tires rolled sluggishly down the road. Fortunately, Bella had run to school today; rather than bringing her old Chevy. She had thought of everything.

"Bella, honestly, how hard is it to press down on that pedal?" I asked hopelessly, leaning back in the seat.

"I'm doing this for your own good," she said crossly as she gazed at me from the corner of her eye.

I sighed dramatically and slumped in my seat.

Not soon enough we made the near-invisible turn onto the Cullen property. Even from a distance, Bella's house was _huge_. I couldn't help but gape at it. It wasn't only big, it was beautiful. I could only imagine how it looked on the inside.

Bella smiled at me as she pulled my Volvo up to the floating garage and parked it. We walked toward the front door together, she dragging myself by the wrist; overly excited that I would meet her family.

Bella's house was even more beautiful on the inside than on the outside. It was very bright; the entire south wall was a window overlooking a river. The main room seemed to have been many rooms originally; but the walls were probably knocked down.

"It's very open here," I observed, looking around the giant room in awe.

Bella shrugged. "This is the only place where we can really be ourselves," she said simply.

A man and a woman soon graced us with their appearances. I noticed that they were both stunningly beautiful. My breath caught in my chest as I catalogued every feature. Both had blonde hair and gentle golden eyes.

"It's very nice to meet you, Edward," the male smiled warmly at me. "I'm Carlisle, and this is my wife Esme." I noticed that neither of them moved any closer, and their movements were exaggeratedly slow.

I ignored this though, and smiled back at them. "I'm glad you're willing to let me be with your daughter," I said genuinely.

Esme's glowing smile caught me off guard. "It's no problem at all, I've been hoping for a long time that my dear Bella would fall in love," her smile grew even wider, and she cuddled into Carlisle's side affectionately.

Soon the one member of Bella's family I had yet to meet entered the room.

"Edward, this is Rosalie," Bella whispered into my ear. Rosalie smiled dispassionately at me, obviously bored with me already. She left the room lazily as Emmett and Jasper entered.

"Hey," they said simultaneously before shooting glares at each other.

"Jinx," Emmett yelled before dashing out of the room after Rosalie.

Jasper smiled awkwardly; I returned the gesture.

Suddenly a flash of white bounded over and wrapped its arms around my torso fiercely.

"Edward! How happy I am that you decided to show," Alice shouted at me; clearly the only one who wasn't afraid of scaring me.

Carlisle and Esme looked shocked, ready to bolt in an instant.

I let out a laugh, and everyone relaxed. I wasn't sure if it was Jasper's doing or my own.

Alice pecked my cheek before running over to Jasper and pulling him away by his hand; laughing.

It was then that I noticed the piano.

"Do you play?" Esme asked me when she noticed my attention was focused on their piano.

"A little," I admitted sheepishly, running my hand down the length of the polished wood.

"You should play for Bella," Carlisle suggested, his voice low and seductive. Who he was trying to seduce, however, I wasn't sure I wanted to know.

I smiled nervously and sat down on the bench, letting my fingers dance along the keys of the piano. Bella sat next to me, watching silently as music flowed through my fingers and into the room.

It was my own composition that floated magically through the air; a song that Bella had been my inspiration for. Nobody said a word as my fingers moved like liquid. They basked in the miracle that their too-long-silenced piano was playing.

Never before had my telepathy been so strong—I could hear their every thought, feel every emotion.

As I let the music play; never-ending happiness infused with the quiet tune. Their minds told me it was mystic, seductive, beautiful. My own told me it expressed everything Bella meant to me—my undying love. It was the sound of Bella's voice; the touch of her cool skin; the taste of her sweet lips… it was a lullaby. _Bella's lullaby._

* * *

Bella showed me through her home; a grand tour of the living space of seven vampires. It wasn't what I had expected at all—I knew they weren't savage, but I didn't think they'd have such a _comfortable_ house.

Bella's room was my favourite. Her plush floor was a light shade of blue; her walls were white to match the rest of the house. There was no need for light; the clouded sky illuminated the room; the smaller traces of light reflected off of the walls.

There was a small couch in the middle of the room, in place of a bed. Bookshelf upon bookshelf sat on the western wall; filled to the brim with classics. The shelf on the far right was filled with CDs, instead. An expensive sound system sat against the northern wall.

I breathed in, Bella's scent filling my lungs. It was the most beautiful scent in the world to me.

It took me a moment to realize that Bella herself had stopped breathing. I turned to face her, and realized with a jolt that she had frozen. Her face was frozen in horror; contorting her perfect features.

"Bella?" I asked worriedly, staring into her ochre eyes. "Bella, what's wrong?" I grabbed her hand, trying to bring her back down to Earth.

"I'm so sorry, Edward," she murmured, taking me into a tight embrace. "I'm so, so, sorry…" her voice was barely above a whisper.

"What is it, Bell—" before I even finished my sentence; I knew why she had frozen.

"You brought a snack..?" the male voice said; beautiful and seductive and deadly.

"The human is not food, he is family," I heard Carlisle's voice ring from down the stairs.

His words were responded to with a hiss from the first; another hiss followed from the Cullens.

"I think it would be best if you and your coven left now," Carlisle said, his voice threatening and deadly.

I looked into Bella's eyes, fully aware that my own were filled with surprise.

"There are other vampires here?" I asked her quietly, silently begging her to breathe again.

Bella didn't move. She didn't breathe. She just stood there, holding me in her protective embrace.

I heard mumbled goodbyes, and then the sound of the front door closing.

Bella relaxed only enough to walk with me down to the main floor, to join her family.

I could hear it in their minds. It was so easy once I got past the sharp thoughts. Bella undid her shield so that I could hear from her beautiful mind what the other members of her family were already telling me. Every mind told me the same thing—he was a tracker. I was his prey. He wouldn't stop until I was dead. This had just become his most interesting game.

* * *

**A/N: alright, so this was a pretty happy chapter. i'd like to say that i've been re-inspired (mostly because i thought up how i wanted the whole james conflict to end, and i need a middle part before i can get to it XD) so i might put out another chapter within the next few days. we shall see. i know how this is gonna turn out ;) so it should come out soon.**

**anywho, for now, you get this chapter. it's not the best, but deal with it :)**

**you know what would make me write faster? reviews =D**

**also, i'd like to know if you want me to continue the story after i reach the end of the story. if you do, i'll come up with some more, but if not, then i guess i'll have to end it. or, if you want a sequel, i'd love to know that as well.**


	11. Chapter 10: The Play

**Disclaimer: i do not own the twilight or any of the characters. if i did, the cullen boys would be too busy fighting over me to star in this story.**

* * *

Chapter 10: The Play

The house became a place of chaos. The Cullen family bustled about; speaking too fast for my ears to catch more than a consonant or two. I could tell that they were making plans—most involved evacuating me from Forks. Emmett, however, wanted to face the vampire—the Cullens called him James—head on (though that idea was vetoed by Bella instantly).

Finally, we had settled down in their dining room; at their previously unused dining table. Bella sat next to me, her head in her hands. She hadn't left my side once since James had decided I was going to be his next meal. I could tell that Bella's family was beyond stressed out because of this—because of me. I couldn't believe how selfish I was being; tearing their family apart because I was greedy enough to wish that I could ever be with Bella…

I rested my head in the palms of my hands, letting out a rather loud sigh. I noticed absentmindedly that everyone had stopped, turning their attention to me.

I looked up lamely at them, and said, "I think it would be best if I…" I couldn't bring myself to say it. How could I ever leave Bella? I loved her too much… but that was why I had to do it. I loved her enough to choose what was best for her over what I wanted. I sighed again; my chair scraping against the floor loudly as I stood up. Bella started to stand with me, and I smiled sadly at her. She shot me a confused look as she settled back into her chair. "…it would be best for everyone if I left," I concluded sadly. I gave them a pathetic smile one last time before leaving the room slowly; wanting to drag out the remaining seconds that I had before I would never see Bella again.

I could tell by the lack of sound as I exited through the front door that no one was moving—they were all too shocked by my decision. But I knew… if Bella was ever going to be happy, it wasn't with me. I couldn't picture a world without Bella, even if I wasn't in it. I knew that by the end of the day I would no longer be living, but I still found myself hopeful. If I could not live, at least my precious Bella could.

The drive back to my home was painfully long—despite my speedy driving. I found my mind constantly wandering to Bella—how happy she must be to be rid of me for good, how she hadn't even cared that I was going to face my death, and how she would be able to live, because I wouldn't. It was a sad truth, but I was willing to accept it.

I drove up to my house, parking on the road. I wasn't planning on staying long, a quick getaway was preferential. I wasn't completely masochistic; I was going to leave town, _try_ to survive. I barged into my house; only to find a note from my mother on the stairs. I picked it up, reading the messy writing only a doctor could have.

_Edward,_

_Don't be alarmed. I won't be coming home for a few hours. I'm going out on a date tonight. His name is James. I'm sorry that I hadn't told you about him before. We've been going out for a few weeks now, so I figured it would be safe to tell you. He's picking me up at work, and we're going to the theatre to see _Wicked_. It's supposed to be amazing. I can't wait to see it. James is a really nice guy; you'll love him when you meet him. Call my cell when you get this, I want to make sure you know._

_I love you,_

_Mom._

I read the letter five times before the words on the page finally sank in. The name of my mother's date made me crumple the paper in anger, and I had to smooth it out before I could finish reading. I shakily pulled out my cell phone and dialed my mother's number. The sound of my phone calling hers made the wait feel like hours, rather than seconds. When the call was finally received, I was almost relieved until I heard the voice that answered.

"Hello, Edward," the male voice said to me. My heart stopped. It was all I could do not to drop the phone.

"James," I whispered nervously, my knuckled turning white from my tight grip on my cell.

"Very good," James said. I could hear his grin in his voice. He won and he knew it.

I gulped loudly before I spoke. "Where's my mother?" I couldn't believe how calm I sounded—I was breaking down by the minute. _Stay strong, stay strong. Mom needs you to be calm about this. Bella needs you to, _I told myself over and over. It didn't help. At all.

The low chuckle on the other end of the line sent a chill running down my back. I closed my eyes angrily. "Don't worry about your mother, Edward," James said triumphantly, "She's already been taken care of."

I knew he was expecting me to answer, to yell at him. To _demand _that he tell me what he did with my mother. But I didn't. There was silence for a long time. The only sound that could be heard was the low, steady breathing from the sadistic vampire who had probably murdered my mother.

After several moments, James spoke. "Come to the old Opera house. I'm sure you know where that is. Your mother told me that you two had been there dozens of times; at the very least. Don't bring any of your friends, either. This is a fight between men." And with that, the line ended. The dial tone buzzed angrily in my ear.

I sighed and turned my phone off calmly. Then I threw it across the room. It hit the wall with a dull thud, and shattered into pieces as it fell to the floor. It sounded like rain as the little pieces bounced off of the hardwood. I pinched the bridge of my nose between my forefinger and thumb, closing my eyes once more. Yes, I had anger problems. That would probably never change.

I took several deep breaths before I opened my eyes again and left the house. I bit my bottom lip so hard I drew blood as I furiously got into my Volvo. I slammed the door closed, forced the key into the ignition, and sped off.

I knew exactly where I was going. The opera house was only a few blocks away from my old home in Seattle. It was quite a drive for a date, but I assumed that my mother really liked James—he was a beautiful vampire, after all.

It was too long before I finally reached Seattle. It was the same as we left it—boring. I couldn't help but yawn as I drove to the theatre.

I parked outside of the house, and slowly got out. I ground my teeth together in anger. How could I have put my mother through this? Would the greed never end? First I ruin Bella's life, and now my mother's. I couldn't believe what a monster I had become.

I entered the giant theatre slowly. It was huge, and beautiful. It had statues and paintings and red velvet carpets. I entered the main hall; walking up to the stage.

There was one figure there, as far as I could tell. I didn't recognize him, so I figured that it must be James. He smiled triumphantly at me.

"What an obedient child," he said, a laugh playing in his words. I shrugged, cataloguing every aspect. He had messy blonde hair that had been pulled back, and glowing crimson eyes. I assumed that by the bright colour, he had probably fed recently. My eyes trailed to the background; and I froze. I sucked in a quick breath; making a hissing sound as I did so.

There was a figure laying on the stage—a crumpled body. Blood pooled around the figure, and I knew that if it wasn't already dead, it was dying.

James followed my gaze to the figure and grinned.

"That, dear Edward, is the ever-lovely Elizabeth. She smelled just as good as you do, and tasted even better. I don't know why I didn't kill her sooner," he said mockingly. I knew he was trying to push my buttons; but I found myself growling pathetically at him anyways. It didn't sound as animalistic as his own growl was; it was more like a sad imitation of a dog.

James' smile only grew. "I thought you might like it. Seeing your own mother's corpse tends to bring out the _best_ in everyone. I was hoping for a good fight." He chuckled, taking drawn out steps toward me. I groaned in anticipation of the pain that was inevitable. "I think I ate a bit too much, though," James continued lazily, "I don't know if I'll be able to completely drink you to death… it will probably only draw out the suffering." With that his laughter boomed.

I let my gaze wander again as I took a step back, and noticed a camcorder set on a tripod. I raised an eyebrow questioningly. "You're filming this?"

The laughter ceased. "I wanted a good fight. I was hoping not to have to use it, but since you didn't bring your friends, I suppose that I will have to _make_ them come," his sudden serious tone caught me off guard. He snickered, taking another slow step toward me.

Suddenly, there was a flash of white. I caught a glimpse of James before something hit my side with an astounding _crack_. I fell to the floor; felt the hysterics bubble in my throat.

The laughter escaped me; coming out as a choked wail rather than a laugh. I took a deep breath to steady myself and winced in pain as agony overtook the right side of my body. _Four broken ribs,_ my mind told me calmly. I laid still pathetically, working up the courage to get back up.

I didn't have time to move. James was by my side in an instant. He stepped down hard on my left leg, shattering it. I heard something scream in agony; absentmindedly realizing it was my own voice.

I found myself contemplating my life; my reasons for being here.

I always saw myself as a soldier, but it never occurred to me that my world would change so much, so fast.

Yet there I was, facing my death. Not for my country, not for some noble cause, but for _her_.

I knew that she'd hate me for this, but that it was better this way. It was so selfish of me to think that she could ever really be mine.

I looked into the blood red eyes of the man who was to take my life—and yet I felt no fear; only acceptance.

My prosecutor walked slowly towards me, his words echoing my thoughts in clear preciseness.

"Well, Edward," he said calmly. "Shall we begin?"

I laughed again. Begin? Then this was the prelude—the moments before the play. I knew how this was going to end.

James took a syringe from his pocket; removed the protective covering. I eyed it suspiciously.

_Poison,_ my mind told me, still calm. _He's going to poison me… like in Romeo and Juliette. _This play was coming to a close.

"Vampire venom," James said calmly. "I'm not going to give you enough time to change you; to make you safe." He smiled again, like a small child who was killing ants with a microscope. I rested my head against the floor; fighting the throbbing pain that threatened to take over me. "You'll feel the pain; the burning sensations. But you won't transform. Oh, there's enough in here to change you. Not that it matters. You'll be dead before the venom can save you." With that his laughter broke out into near-hysterics.

James grabbed my hair; pulled me into a sitting position as he crouched down to eye level. His dirty fingers pulled my head back, exposing my throat. He stabbed the needle into my jugular, causing me to gasp in pain. He slowly pushed the venom into my system. He had barely started when a flash of white appeared and James and the syringe were gone.

I fell back with another painful gasp. I coughed; blood spraying from my mouth. My head lolled to the side; my eyes wild but seeing nothing. My throat burned. It burned like nothing I had ever felt before. I wanted to die. I wanted it to end. It _had_ to end. James was going to kill me. I opened my mouth to beg him, but the words were strangled by the burning sensation.

I felt a cool touch frame my face. I looked toward the source; some of my vision returning. An angel was staring at me; her sad face watching me. I could see something in her eyes; touching her beautiful soul—love. That's what it was.

"Edward," she cried, "please, Edward, it's okay. It's going to be okay…" she cooed, her thumbs stroking away tears I didn't know were there from my face. "Don't leave me, Edward," she said. She was so sad. I wanted to make her pain go away.

I lifted a hand painfully and placed it lovingly on her cheek. "Bella," I choked out. "I love you…"

Bella's skin sparkled in the firelight. _Fire? When had anyone lit a fire…?_ I wondered tiredly. Maybe I was the one who was on fire. It sure felt like it.

She smiled through her sadness. "I love you too, Edward."

Bella loved me. So that must be it. I don't know how it could be possible, but I knew it had to be true. Otherwise she wouldn't have been here for me, easing my pain. I let out a painful laugh.

Bella leaned down, stroking my cheek gently with her cool fingers. I could see tears that would never fall welling up in her eyes as she gently pressed her lips to mine.

The pain was unbearable. Even Bella's sweet kiss couldn't make it go away. It burned. I was on fire…

"Bella, I love you…" I murmured. I couldn't say it enough. It would never be enough. But she had to know before it was too late.

But this was it, the end of the play. It was my time to exit stage left. I smiled, letting the tears flow freely now.

And then there was nothing.

* * *

**A/N: ahh, so i almost found myself crying as i wrote this. yes, i'm pathetic.**

**anywho, i've noticed a steady decline in reviews. it makes me sad :( SO, i don't think i'm gonna repost until i get another 10 reviews. it isn't too much to ask for, is it? i don't think so.**

**the next chapter is going to be Bella's POV. it's going to explain what happened to james, and all that nonsense.**

**So if you want the next chapter, REVIEW.**

**every time you press that review button, the odds that edward didn't die increase. :) save edward, push that button!**


	12. Chapter 11: Destruction

**A/N: kay, this may be confusing, but i'm trying to explain everything... so this goes back to before edward met bella's family :)**

* * *

Chapter 11: Destruction

BPOV

I couldn't believe that Edward had agreed to come meet my family. And he wasn't even nervous. I mean, he was about to go walking right into the living quarters of seven _vampires_. He really didn't have any idea what self-preservation was, did he?

Still, I couldn't help but be overjoyed as I drove Edward and myself to my home.

"Bella, honestly, how hard is it to press down on that pedal?" Edward complained. I rolled my eyes. Honestly, was it _my_ fault that his idea of driving was going twice the speed limit?

"I'm doing this for your own good," I said quickly. The truth was, my family complained about my driving, too, which is why I went to school in my own car. I couldn't help it, though. I wasn't exactly the embodiment of grace in my human years, and I was prone to accidents. Naturally, cautious was the way to go back then. I guess old habits die hard.

I snuck a glance over at Edward as he sighed heavily and slumped down in his seat, obviously putting on a show for me. I laughed too quietly for him to hear.

Soon we had made it to my home—though I could tell Edward was a little bit past annoyed at my driving by now. I smiled at him as I drove his Volvo toward our garage and parked it; letting myself out before he could act all gentle-manly.

I grabbed Edward by the wrist and half-dragged him toward the front door; my excitement obvious on my pale face.

Once we were inside, I have Edward a few moments to digest the scenery.

"It's very open in here," he observed.

_Way to state the obvious,_ I thought to myself. I shrugged, "This is the only place where we can be ourselves," I said simply.

The introductions with my family were quick and painless, and I soon found myself sitting next to Edward on the piano bench, listening to his music flow softly through the room. It was amazing—I had never heard anything like it before. I loved every inch of it almost as much as I loved Edward.

Soon I was showing Edward around the house, finally bringing him up to the third floor, and into my room. He was walking inside in awe when I heard it—a light knock on the door, followed by the sound of shuffling feet and the smell of our kind—of vampires. Three of them. I froze. Oh, God, how could this be happening? Why _now_? I listened intently to the conversation between Carlisle and the nomads.

"I'm Carlisle, and this is Esme and Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett," Carlisle said musically, hurriedly. It was clear he was trying to get them to leave.

"I am Laurent," a strange voice said. "And this is James and Victoria. We had heard that a coven of vampires had a permanent residence here, and we were intrigued as to find out who it could be, and _how_," he said kindly. There was genuine curiosity in his voice, as well as judgment.

"Well, we don't hunt humans," Carlisle said politely, "although we would prefer it if you didn't hunt within our territory. We are trying to stay inconspicuous; to stay here a while longer." The small talk had lead to hunting; not a good sign. The nomads' eyes were probably a nice shade of black.

"Don't worry," Laurent said, "we won't hunt within your region."

Suddenly, I felt a warm hand grasp my hand. It felt terribly wonderful—I never wanted that hand to let go. I realized that Edward had been talking to me, and I broke down.

"I'm so sorry, Edward," I murmured as I embraced his warmth. "I'm so, so, sorry…" I was barely speaking; I didn't know if he could even hear me.

"What is it Bell—" Edward began; then he tensed as well.

There was a sharp intake of breath, and I heard something I wished I hadn't.

"You brought a snack..?" the other male voice said, obviously confused by Edward's scent. My breath caught in my throat, I couldn't move.

"The human is not food, he is family," Carlisle defended. More shuffling sounds floated from the first floor. Obviously Carlisle was trying to get them out.

I heard a loud hiss—knew Edward heard it, too, by the way his eyes widened in horror—coming from the second male, James. He was interested in Edward's blood…

My family hissed in return, obviously ganging up on the three nomads.

"I think it would be best if you and your coven left now," Carlisle said menacingly.

"There are other vampires here?" Edward asked me nervously. I was relieved, though—I thought he had gone into shock.

I still didn't move, though—I couldn't. I was frozen. I knew my face was a mask of horror, but I couldn't change it. I stayed frozen where I was, Edward in my arms.

After the vampires had left, I was able to relax enough to walk Edward down to the first floor.

I felt my shield rip away from me, all my thoughts flooding toward Edward with nothing to stop them. James was a hunter. Edward was his prey. This had just become his most interesting game.

* * *

The house was in chaos. My family ran around, hissing ideas at each other, trying to figure out how to keep Edward alive.

I took no part. I couldn't function anymore. My whole existence was being unraveled at the seams.

"We should fight him head on!" Emmett shouted triumphantly. I growled at him angrily, vetoing the notion immediately.

Other than that, however, I had no input whatsoever. I floated by Edward's side, _daring_ anyone to come near him.

Soon we had taken our seats at our once-unused dining table; the family discussing various methods to keep my love's life. A majority of ideas involved vacating Edward as soon as possible.

I held my head in my hands, wishing that I had never fallen for Edward. Such an amazing person—how he had changed my life so completely… but for what cost? Because of me his life was being ripped away from him.

Suddenly, Edward sighed, and held is own head in his hands. I looked over at him sadly, only to see the resolve forming slowly in his eyes.

He looked up at my family, before saying, "I think it would be best if I…" he had difficulty getting the words out; almost as if he didn't want to say them. But I would accept _anything_ that would keep him safe. My poor, poor, Edward…

Edward's chair scraped noisily across the floor as he stood up. I started to get up with him, but the look in his eyes told me to sit down again. I complied, confusion flowing through me.

"…It would be best for everyone if I left," he concluded sadly. I froze. He was leaving me?

Edward walked slowly out of the house, closing the door quietly behind himself.

Edward left. He left me. He was leaving me behind because I had done this to him. I was so selfish. Selfish, selfish, _selfish_. And now I had lost everything.

It was only seconds before I broke down.

I cried tears that would never fall. I stared blankly at the front door where I had last seen the love of my existence. And then I fell. I fell forever, until I hit the bottom. _Rock bottom,_ I think they called it. I was empty, empty like never before. I felt a hole where my dead heart had been ripped out of my body. I clenched my fist over my invisible wound; trying desperately to hold myself together. Edward was gone.

* * *

Hours had gone by, and I had not moved once. No one tried to disturb me either, which I mentally thanked them for.

I heard them talk about me, talk about Edward; but I couldn't make out the words. I couldn't feel around the empty pain inside of me. So I lay there on the floor, staring at nothing.

Finally, after several minutes of torture, Carlisle shook me from my daze. He pulled me to himself, held me on his lap as I sobbed into his shoulder.

"Hush, Bella," he soothed, stroking my hair gently. I could almost hear Edward again." Two hours of this passed, and I could never thank Carlisle enough.

Out of nowhere, there was a sharp intake of breath. I heard Esme whispering to someone, then a gasp. Immediately everyone was by me, dragging me to my feet.

"It's Edward," Esme said. Her horrified voice woke me up completely. Edward? What had happened to him?! "Alice saw him," hate filled her beautiful voice. "He has Edward…"

So that was it. He wanted a fight. I felt my energy return to me as I disengaged from my family and ran out the door. I knew they understood; they all had those they loved like nothing else. Edward was my soulmate; there was no getting around it. I heard them all following behind me. Normally, they would have easily kept up with me. But normally, I wouldn't be running to save the reason for my existence.

* * *

I arrived in Seattle in no time flat. I could smell Edward. I followed his scent to an old Opera house. On normal occasions, I would have taken the time to marvel at its beauty. But, of course, now was not the time.

I dashed inside, and froze. I saw Edward lying on the floor, saw James pull his head back to expose his throat. I growled angrily. What was he doing to my Edward? Then I saw the syringe. It was silver as it glinted in the fluorescent lighting. I gasped when I realized what it was. Venom.

I watched in horror as James stabbed Edward's throat with the syringe. My anger exploded; I sprinted toward James, ignoring my family behind me.

Before James could get too much venom into Edward's system, I tackled him—making sure to take the syringe with me.

I bared my teeth at him, growling fiercely as I pummeled his face.

"Bella!" Carlisle shouted from beside Edward. "Bella, you have to be with Edward now, he needs you. The others can take care of James." His soothing voice coaxed me toward my dying love.

"Fine," I growled, "but I get to finish him."

I crouched down next to Edward, and gasped as I took in his appearance. His clothes were torn; his throat was bruised and bleeding, and blood was beginning to pool underneath him.

I framed Edward's burning face with my hands.

I saw some of his sanity begin to return; his eyes became slightly less glazed.

"Edward," I cried, "please, Edward, it's okay, it's going to be okay…" I couldn't let him die. I loved him too much. He was my existence now.

He was crying—probably didn't even know the tears were falling out of his eyes. I stroked them away with my thumb, reveling in his warm skin. I couldn't lose him, not now, not when he had changed me so completely. "Don't leave me, Edward," I choked out between sobs.

Edward lifted his right hand slowly and placed it on my cheek. "Bella," he groaned painfully. His voice made my dead heart ache. "I love you…" he let his hand fall back down to the floor.

Despite my sadness, I found myself smiling. "I love you too, Edward," it had never been truer than it was in this instant.

Edward laughed painfully. It sounded like he was choking, but I understood. He was happy…

I leaned down toward his face, stroking his cheek lovingly with cool fingers. I kissed him tenderly; praying to every God I knew that this wouldn't be the last time.

"Bella, I love you," he choked out again. I knew this was it.

His deathly slow heartbeat became even slower.

We stared at each other for another minute; and then his heartbeat faded away into the oblivion.

I screamed out in agony. With Edward, my life disappeared. I turned around to face the fire that was now James. He wasn't dead yet… no, they were torturing him. I smiled wickedly; knew my eyes were black with the desire to kill him.

I dashed over to James, biting his neck furiously; ripping him to shreds. Too soon it was over.

I broke down again; I fell to my knees, sobbed silently on the floor. My family stayed near me; knew I needed them, but unsure what to do.

Alice was the one who came to me. She hugged me gently; let me cry once more into her tiny shoulder.

The fire danced around us, mocked us.

Slowly, slowly, I walked toward Edward's corpse. I picked him up, cradling his cold figure against myself.

My family followed me out of the opera house, toward home. I ran as fast as I could—I wanted to get away.

Soon we were home, Edward's body still in my arms. I fell to my knees outside of our home, hugging him closer to me still. I couldn't believe myself. I couldn't comprehend how my entire life was now gone.

Carlisle coaxed me into our home, brought me to our couch.

This was it, this was the end. Everything was over. I didn't know what I'd do now… I'd go to Italy, but I know Edward wouldn't like it.

I had finally given up when it happened.

It was slow, and wet. It sounded unnatural, but I knew immediately what it was. I could pick this sound out no matter how quiet it was.

Edward's dead heart beat again, as slow and wet as the first time.

* * *

**A/N: ahh, so i'm not completely heartless.**

**so, you people obviously didn't want edward to die o.0 i was surprised, in 10 minutes i got 12 emails lol.**

**anywho, i gotta go to work, i'll fix typoes and crap later. be glad i took time to write this before i left (you're welcome)**

**before i post another chapter, i want 10 more reviews (yes, i'm being greedy)**

**~Vicki**

**A/NN: k, i fixed the whole james phonecall part, since it was weird. reread that if yuou want, idc XDD**

**also, 'i love this story etc.', i knew it was you. you're too spazzy not to recognize XD let me bask in my happiness, though. let's all pretend you gave me only ONE review per chapter :)**


	13. Chapter 12: Heartbeat

Chapter 12: Heartbeat

EPOV

I was floating. There was no other way to describe it. Not a single sound registered in my mind; not a single breath, a single heartbeat.

It was like I was drifting in an ocean; everything was blurred, dull sounds in my ears.

I was dead; I knew I was supposed to be. I didn't remember the details; all I knew was pain. That was my existence. Pain.

_BOOM._

I was falling. More pain; there was so much of it. Agony. It filled my veins.

A thousand thoughts filled my mind from a thousand sources. Every passing second brought with it a hundred more thoughts. Millions of sensations took me over, every one stronger than the last. But nothing could drown out the amazing pain.

_BOOM._

There was blackness. Nothing surrounded me, but at the same time I was surrounded by everything. I knew my eyes were closed; and yet I could see things from every point of view. I could hear things others could not; I could see situations from different view points. But nothing was my own. I borrowed the senses of others; I couldn't seem to use my own.

_BOOM._

One sound was getting on my dead nerves. I heard it from six different directions. It completely filled me; it engulfed me.

Every time this sound went off, new pain shot through my frozen body. It was irrational, but I hated the sound. It was slow, but it kept repeating. Over and over. I wanted it to end. I wanted to _make_ it end. But at the same time I had no idea what it was. Yet, I knew it wasn't _right_. It was too quiet; even in the darkness. And it was slow; unhealthy.

I knew something was wrong, everything else was too quiet. Too still. Every so often I heard movement, a slow shuffling sound, a sigh, quiet voices. They were hard to pick up against the pain that throbbed in time with the noise, but they kept me sane. The voices were overwhelming.

—_I can't believe that—_

—_it's so slow—_

—_it's almost my birthday and—_

It was never-ending. I was vaguely aware of six sharper voices; more accurate and concentrated. They seemed oddly concerned…

_BOOM._

I listened more closely to the subdued voices, I was able to concentrate better between the bursts of pain by now.

I could tell that they were near me; I could see myself through a set of unknown eyes. But it wasn't right; I couldn't get into the mind of the other.

"_Carlisle what's wrong? This isn't normal…"_

"_I don't know… this has never happened before. There weren't any bite marks…"_

"_James didn't bite him, he… But… I don't know, he had barely… this shouldn't be _happening_."_

"_Incomplete… Edward wasn't given enough venom…"_

"_What's going to happen?!"_

"_I do—"_

_BOOM._

The pain was worse now; I couldn't focus. I wanted it to end. I waited for this round to subside, but it never did.

My senses overcame me. The pain was unbearable; immeasurable; boundless.

I heard a sharp intake of breath. I saw through the borrowed vision my still body burst upward; every muscle thrashing with the noise. My center thrust upward; my legs and upper body stayed firmly attached to the surface. But I couldn't make sense of this—how was it happening? I didn't feel myself move. All I felt was anguish.

_BOOM._

I was able to feel again. And I felt horrible. I felt my eyes roll in their sockets. Everything was loud. Shouting in my sensitive ears. My entire body ached like healing bones and tissue. On top of everything; the pain was still there. The fire inside my veins that threatened to spill over.

My mind was working again; thinking a hundred thoughts every second; calculating everything at once. Listening to the thoughts surrounding me, taking everything in, _understanding_. And my mind was telling me that something crucial was filling my veins. _Acid_. Something that wasn't man-made. Something that was changing me; would make me complete. But the dose wasn't high enough; I was incomplete, just as the male had said earlier.

_BOOM._

It didn't cease, but I could ignore it. I could pretend that nothing was wrong; that I wasn't wishing for death.

I inhaled; felt it lessen the pain. I took another one, and another. It was natural; easy; and it brought with it a new stream of sensations. They were pleasant.

Rusty, sweet, desirable. I enjoyed that one the most. The next was sharp, painful. It filled my nose; reminded me of hospitals. It was unnatural; too clean to be alive. There was another that completely bowled me over. It was even better than the first. It was sweet, beautiful. It reminded me of freesia and strawberries… it reminded me of—

Yes, it explained everything. Bella was here. _My_ Bella. She was here to watch my incomplete transformation.

_BOOM._

I shifted; not uncomfortable, but not willing to stay still much longer. I wanted to move. I wanted to be nearer to Bella, now that I knew she was here.

I opened my eyes slowly; found the movement slow because of my quicker senses.

My eyes searched; looking for the one person that meant more to me than my life—and I found her. She was watching me sadly, and when she realized that I was gazing back at her, she froze. Her eyes widened in surprise and horror, and she turned her head. I followed her gaze, seeing Bella's father figure watching me with concern as well.

"…how…?" Bella whispered softly. She probably had no idea I could hear her.

"There wasn't enough, Bella… the change ended early…" Carlisle replied slowly; never taking his eyes off of me.

I sat up quicker than I ever had before—I found that my body knew what to do before I even had to think about it.

I breathed in again; glad that the pain had dulled substantially.

_BOOM._

I soon found Bella in my arms; her grip tightening, but not hurting me. She was warm; so warm. I snuggled closer to her—I thought I had lost her forever.

This was the perfect moment—our reunion.

I was loosely aware that my clothes had been changed. I was wearing black sweats and no shirt.

I held Bella against myself tighter, letting her warmth spread through my muscles.

"E—Edward, you're so _cold_," Bella murmured; the confusion evident in her voice.

I blinked. I hadn't thought about it. Bella was usually cold to me. I tilted my head to the side.

"Sorry," I mumbled; then jumped at the sound of my own voice. It was husky; more masculine than before. It was also musical, elegant.

I heard snickering. My head whipped to the side, finally taking in the surroundings.

Bella's family gasped when they saw me. I couldn't understand why, so I listened to their thoughts—it came easier to me now than it ever had before; I also found that I could hear minds from a farther distance.

I looked into Alice's mind; hers was the best at taking in detail.

I could see that my body was nicely toned; my muscles were chiseled and strong, my features paler than her own. I was standing slightly crouched; I watched myself straighten so I was standing erect. I saw my disheveled bronze hair; which stood out against my albino skin.

Then I saw my eyes. I gasped. Was this really how I looked, or was Alice imagining me like this to mess with me? I moved on to the minds of Jasper, Emmett, then Rosalie. Everyone saw me the same. It couldn't be possible. Vampires' eyes weren't like this. Vampires' eyes weren't _silver_.

_BOOM._

I jumped at the noise, losing my concentration yet again. Vampires didn't have heartbeats, either. So then how could I? I realized that the annoying sound this whole time must have been my own dead heartbeat. This explained why it didn't sound right. But what explained my heartbeat? I was a vampire now, wasn't I?

"How—" I began, but I didn't know how to word my thoughts.

Everyone was watching me; nervous.

"Edward," Carlisle began, stepping cautiously toward me, "we don't quite understand, ourselves, but…" He placed a warm hand on my bare shoulder, gasping when he acknowledged my cool skin. "We think—"

_BOOM._

* * *

I understood now. It made more sense to me than it did to the other vampires.

This was all probably because I could hear the details from each mind and piece them together.

James hadn't given me enough venom to completely change me—so I was still partly human. I had only been unconscious for 37 hours—not even two days had elapsed since I had begun to change. But the pain had stopped—or, it was bearable. I didn't think that it would ever go away; but at the very least it was barely noticeable.

Either way, I wasn't completely human—nor was I a vampire. Which explained why my heart still beat—albeit painfully slowly. And the slow beat explained my temperature. My blood circulation was absolutely horrible. There was always blood in my system, which is what made vampires so cold—the lack in blood circulation.

I could see what happened to me from every point of view—except Bella's. Her mind was closed to me—it was locked, and I didn't have the key.

I sighed as I drove toward my home in Forks, Washington. The Cullen mansion wasn't far from Forks; but I wanted to run, not take my car; so the ride felt longer than usual.

Bella sat in the passenger seat; she remained silent the entire time. Neither of us wanted to face the inevitable; so of course we prolonged it as much as possible. I knew my mother was dead, but I didn't want to acknowledge this grim fact. Nonetheless, Bella and I were going to my home to gather my possessions. I didn't plan on taking everything—clothes, books, music, and other essentials—but I knew it was important. Carlisle thought it would be best if I stayed with their family; so that they could make sure nothing went wrong.

_BOOM._

I walked quickly into my home; dashed upstairs into my room. Within seconds I had fully-packed bags to take to Bella's home.

I walked by a mirror in the hallway and froze. Two silver pools were staring back at me, reflecting my shock. They almost looked grey, except for the greenish tint that only the eyes of a vampire could pick up; and the liquid glow that even human eyes would see.

I noticed that my bone structure had become more prominent—sharper, more angled, beautiful.

I admired my appearance for a few more seconds before I rushed back into the waiting arms of my angel.

_BOOM._

Bella agreed that we could leave my car; that we could run back. It was exhilarating.

The world rushed around me. Things that should have been blurred by my incredible speed were perfectly clear to me. I found that I had to slow myself so that Bella could keep up—I travelled over three times faster than Bella; though I knew that some of my speed was due to my more powerful newborn state. Either way; I could tell that I would be faster than any other vampire—I could hear the others' minds as we came within a mile of their—our—home.

_BOOM._

I had come to terms with my situation. I wasn't normal, but at the very least I would always have Bella—for eternity. I was sure that there was enough venom in my system to keep me alive forever.

I knew that they accepted me—Carlisle, Esme, Jasper, Alice, Emmett and Rosalie. I knew that Bella would be happy with me here.

It didn't matter so much that my old life was ruined. I had no family anymore; my mother was gone. I was a creature of the night—my true monster bleeding through my perfect façade. Bella found it odd that I didn't need to feed—I wasn't hungry or thirsty at all—but she made me promise that I'd go hunt with her later. She wanted to make sure that I was never uncomfortable. I loved her more than anything on earth.

I was sad that my mother had died, but I was able to keep my life. I was alive, and I was with my angel.

As long as my dead heart could beat, I would be with Bella.

_BOOM._

* * *

**A/N: alright, so in case you didn't realize it, the "BOOM"s were Edward's heartbeats. Lame, i know, but i like it :)**

**i'm not going to demand reviews anymore, for two reasons:**

**1) i got a complaint from lady scene; and i realized that you were right. it was very rude of me to ask for reviews, as much as i like them. So, i apologize.**

**2) i realized that people probably aren't going to review whether i ask/demand or not. if they were gonna review, they would have already. Thanks to everyone who had reviewed though, it makes me happy to no end.**

**So, this chapter is gonna be the last for a while, exams start on wednesday so i'm going to be too busy to update. ****i would really like it if you reviewed, but i gotta face the fact that it's not going to make me update sooner... probably.**

**Tis my 16th birthday in 15 dayssssss :D am i excited? why yes, yes i am. thanks for asking.**

**good luck on exams people.**

**~Vicki**

**A/NN: kay, i fixed a typo cause it was annoying me. why did no one tell me i used the wrong accept/except? honestly! people these days (no i'm kidding, really) anywho maybe i'll update again soon, i haven't worked out all the bugs in the next chapter yet. thank you for your patience**


	14. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: I own nothing--except for the story line.**

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Epilogue

A month had passed since the incident with James, and I found that each day it was easier to accept and fully embrace what I had become.

At first, I was more than confused. I couldn't follow the guidance of the Cullens, as it seemed that I was a completely different species than they were—despite the fact that I was half vampire now.

First, I learned that I didn't have to drink blood like my new family, though it was more comfortable for me if I did (as it seemed that I was more of a stereotypical vampire—equipped with extra-long fangs and all, which had no problem digging themselves into my bottom lip if I was thirsty).

Second, I learned that my appearance changed more drastically than normal vampires after I drank blood. My eyes returned to their normal emerald colour, my heartbeat became steadier than one-beat-per-ten-minutes, my temperature increased, and some colour returned to my skin. In essence, I became more human when I drank blood.

Though I was less human than vampire, I still needed to rest—for about an hour a week, anyways. It was an inconvenience to Bella, but I found that it gave me a nice reprieve from the thoughts of Emmett and Rosalie on their nightly... alone time.

I didn't enjoy returning to school, as it seemed that time passed even slower than it used to, when I was away from my love, but of course it was better that I stayed—you only graduate for the first time once, after all.

After some careful thought—and the assistance of Emmett-the-creative—I was able to come up with a name for my breed of vampire-human mix.

I was fast. I was powerful. I was silent. I was deathly pale when hunting.

I was a ghost vampire.

* * *

**A/N: Alright, so I decided that the only way to keep this story as coherent as possible is to end it and start a sequel. So that's what I'm going to do.**

**The new story is called Ghosts, and I'm putting it up right after this once. The prologue is already nicely typed up.**

**Also, I'm sorry for taking so long to post this. I have no excuses other than laziness.**


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